


let me be your ruler

by lostariels



Series: she is a queen, her soul is royalty [1]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Arranged Marriage, Enemies to Lovers, F/F, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Modern Royalty, Slow Burn, it's tagged as enemies to lovers but they're not really enemies, more like stubborn idiots who butt heads all the time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-27
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-01-06 04:34:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 43
Words: 182,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12203973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lostariels/pseuds/lostariels
Summary: When Kara unexpectedly comes to find herself on the throne of Krypton, she soon finds herself being part of an even bigger plan that was set into motion by her dead parents, when she was a child. A secret contract was made, arranging a marriage between Kara Zor-El, Princess of Krypton, and Lena Luthor, Princess of Thorul, and now the two girls have to hold up her end of the bargain or risk losing their titles and lives of luxury if they don't.Begrudgingly, the two girls have no choice but to agree to the arranged marriage, and the fake relationship then ensues in the public eye. It's not as easy as it seems though, to bluff their way through a relationship with the whole world watching, and Kara and Lena are too stubborn for their own good, finding themselves butting heads at every turn. Especially when feelings and pride get thrown into the mix.





	1. Chapter 1

            “Princess, we need to leave immediately.”

 

            Kara looked up from her notebook, frowning at her bodyguard, who was stood at the edge of her desk, one hand unbuttoning the fitted suit jacket and resting on the gun holstered at her hip. Eyes widening slightly behind the lenses of her glasses, Kara scrambled to gather up her papers and notebooks, shoving them in her bag and climbing to her feet. The other students in the library didn’t give her a second look as her bodyguard grabbed her by the elbow and dragged her out of the building, casting a wary look around at all of the other students.

 

            “Maggie, what’s wrong?” Kara asked, stumbling as she tried to keep up with the relentless pace that her bodyguard set.

 

            “I’m not sure, princess. I have orders to return you to the palace as soon as possible,” Maggie said, her eyes darting back and forth as she made for the inconspicuous black car parked on the sidewalk. It would’ve been illegal for anyone else, but being the princess of Krypton afforded Kara some privileges and in this case, Maggie was grateful at the closeness of the car. She opened the back door for Kara, pushing her head down so that Kara was forced to duck as she was bundled into the back of the car.

 

            Safe behind the bulletproof glass and armoured car, Kara buckled her seatbelt as Maggie quickly got into the driver’s seat and had them speeding out of the university with a loud screech as the wheels fought for grip. Tearing down the street, Maggie merged into traffic, weaving in and out of cars at an alarming speed that had Kara holding onto the door handle to brace herself for the abrupt movements. Kara rarely went to the palace – it wasn’t her home – and she was confused as to why she had been disturbed from her studies to go and visit her grandfather. She really only ever saw him for official national business to do with Krypton, which usually came around at holiday’s or memorial services. Today, it was neither of those, and she had gone to campus to meet her supervisor and work on her doctorate.

 

            The trip to the palace was quick with the speed that Maggie drove, and Maggie spoke into her earpiece as they approached the side gates, which opened to let them into the western courtyard. Pulling up outside the side doors of the squat, sprawling yellow stoned palace, Maggie turned the engine off and climbed out, telling Kara to stay put until she let her out. Patiently waiting in the back, Kara watched as Maggie rounded the car and opened the door for her, sheltering her as best as she could with her short stature. One hand on Kara’s back, Maggie propelled her up the few steps and in through the huge front doors, which had been pulled open to expose the lavishly decorated entryway. As Kara looked back over her shoulder, she could see a dozen camera flashes outside the front gates, and what looked to be a dozen more reporters with them, and knew that there would be many more outside the front gates. Ignoring them, she turned back around, the doors shutting behind her as she walked along the red carpet rolled down the corridor. Everything was decorated in white gilded with gold, and dark wood, and the colours of the House of El were everywhere.

 

            Making her way to the end of the hall, Kara turned to the left, bypassing the staircase as she made for the throne room, where two guards in red uniforms nodded respectfully as they opened the doors for her as she approached. She walked inside, stopping when she saw a few people in a cluster, and blinked in surprise. Alex was already here, along with Eliza, and they were deep in conversation with the Prime Minister, Cat Grant, and Kara’s aunt, Astra. Her grandfather was nowhere to be seen, and Kara paused at the look of concern on everyone’s faces. Everyone fell silent as she slowly walked closer, a furrow forming between her eyebrows as she watched them all dip into curtsies.

 

            “What’s the matter?” Kara asked.

 

            Everyone hesitated, and it was Astra who took a step forward, reaching out to gently touch Kara on the shoulder. “I’m sorry, Kara, but … you- you’re … the king, he-”

 

            Kara was filled with dread at the insinuation behind the words, and her mouth fell open in shock, but nothing came out. She felt tears prick her eyes and the air rush out of her lungs. “Wh-where is my uncle?”

 

            “I am _so_ sorry, my darling … they are _all_ gone.”

 

  “No,” Kara choked out, “no, Uncle Jor-El is next in line – h-he has to-“

 

            Astra gave her shoulder another squeeze, “Your Majesty-“

 

            “No,” Kara angrily said, stumbling backwards, “no, i-it’s not me, do not call me-”

 

            Alex took a step forward and reached out for Kara, wrapping her arms around her and holding her tightly as her adoptive sister dissolved into tears. They stayed like that for what seemed like forever, until Kara had cried herself into exhaustion, and everyone had been dismissed to leave the new queen to mourn in peace. Taking in shuddering breaths, Kara tried to calm herself down, and Alex wiped her tears away for her as she murmured soothing things to her. There was nothing she could say to make her feel better though, and Kara couldn’t help but think about how her life was about to drastically change.

 

\---

 

            Sat on a plush velvet sofa in one of the grand sitting rooms, Kara listened as Astra informed her of everything that had happened. She could barely bring herself to focus, and she absentmindedly stroked the red velvet as she dimly listened to the words.

 

            It had been a bomb. Her grandfather, her uncle, aunt and cousin had all been present for a charity event that she’d decided to skip. All of them gone. She was the heir to the throne of Krypton, and Kara felt empty. She had lost her mother and father when she was thirteen, and now she had lost all of her living family except her aunt, but even she wasn’t enough to comfort Kara as she mourned the loss of her family, including her parents all over again. In her loneliness and isolation, she felt the loss of them as if she was feeling it for the first time.

 

            “The press got word of the story immediately – the flags are flying at half-mast – so we are trying to do damage control, and we're ... making funeral arrangements. There will be guests arriving to pay their respects, and you will need to officially meet with the Prime Minister. Cat Grant is a force to be reckoned with, and I would advise you to stay on good terms with her.”

 

            “Right,” Kara muttered.

 

            “You will need to move into the palace to assume your duties. That means that you will also need to give up your doctorate, and your duties in the military. You will get to keep your titles and honours, but you’ll no longer be an active member of the Blues and Royals regiment.”

 

            Frowning slightly, Kara made a sound of protest. “I will _not_ give up who I am for this. I already have a home, and I am happy living at Bokos Palace with my sister. Why must I move to here to Sunstone Palace? And why must I give up my doctorate? I have worked had for my degree, and I didn’t ask for this.”

 

            “You were born in Argo City, and Sunstone is the official residence of the reigning monarch. You are too far away in Kandor – and Bokos Palace was fine for a princess who was third in line for the throne, but now you are queen, Kara. That means that you will have all sorts of duties to do, and you won’t have time for your doctorate. You already have your degree in political science – that will serve you well enough.”

 

            Gritting her teeth, Kara sat there in silence, blinking back tears. She didn’t want to sound like a petulant child, but it wasn’t _fair._ She had never imagined that she would be queen – ever – her grandfather’s line was secured with _two_ male heirs, but even that hadn’t been enough. Kara couldn’t help but wish her parents were here – especially her mother – and she looked at her aunt, who was identical, except for a white streak through her dark hair. Somehow, looking at the familiar face just made Kara feel worse, and she swallowed the lump in her throat, knowing that her parents would want her to do this. Looking down at her hands, she nodded in agreement.

 

            “I must ask you now, before your first public appearance … what do you wish your name to be?” Astra asked, and Kara snapped her head up to look at her with a slight frown on her face.

 

            “What do you mean?”

 

            Astra hesitated, giving her a grim look. “As … queen, you may pick a new name to rule by. You grandfather was born Seyg-El, but he took to the throne as Jor-El the first. Your uncle was Jor-El the second, and would’ve been at liberty to choose a new name once he took to the throne.”

 

            “Kara,” she muttered, “my parents called me Kara. I will not change it.”

 

            “Well, long live Queen Kara,” Astra said, bowing her head slightly as she looked at her niece. Sick of talk of the crown and her duties and dead family, Kara shot up to her feet, leaving Astra to scrambled to her own, and Kara paused, looking at her aunt with a wary look on her face. She wasn’t used to everyone curtsying to her or giving her a slight bow whenever she walked past, or rushing to stand up as soon as she did. It had been a day, and she already felt overwhelmed.

 

            Waiting for Astra to leave, Kara looked at her expectantly, and her aunt gave her a small smile as she respectfully stood off to the side, waiting for Kara to lead the way. “The crown must come first. The crown always takes precedence.”

 

\---

 

            The first week had passed by quickly, and Kara heavily relied on Alex to get through it. Alura and Eliza had been close friends when Kara’s mother had still been alive, and Eliza had been appointed Kara’s godmother when she was born, so when Kara’s parents were both killed in a car crash, she’d been adopted by the Duke and Duchess of Kandor as per her mother’s request. Despite the fact that she still had living family, Kara was shipped off to Kandor and raised on their estate during the school holidays, only ever seeing her family for official events. She had never really minded not being raised by her family, for there were too many rules and laws to follow at court, and Kara hated the reminders of her parents, but it hurt the most to be apart from Astra. Her aunt acted as a diplomat on behalf of Krypton, and most of her time was spent travelling overseas, which wasn’t ideal for raising her niece, and so Kara had only ever saw her when Astra would come to Kandor to see her, or she was present at official events in Argo City.

 

            Over that first week, Kara was deeply grateful to Astra too, for she was a good politician and knew more about the laws than almost anyone else Kara knew. She helped her navigate the difficulties of adjusting to her new life, and Kara blindly followed her lead, unable to find the motivation to care at all. Every morning she got changed into the required black mourning clothes that her new maid had set out for her, and shut herself in her room until someone came looking for her so that she could discuss royal matters with them or someone else who was looking for her. This time, it was Astra looking for her, and at the knock on the door to her spacious quarters, Kara permitted her to enter, shooting Alex an exasperated look.

 

            Dipping into a shallow curtsy, Astra gave her niece a slight smile, “Your Majesty, I thought you might like to know that Lillian, the Queen Mother of Thorul has arrived in Argo City. I have extended an invitation to her and her daughter for tea shortly; there’s some matters that she would like to discuss with you. I know you probably don’t want to meet with other people at the moment, but it is, ah, a sensitive topic, and I think you’d want to know straight away.”

 

            With a sigh, rubbed at her temple, “very well. Am I allowed to know what it is?”

 

            “I think it would be best to wait until she and the princess arrives,” Astra said, hesitating slightly, before adding, “you went to boarding school with Princess Lena, didn’t you?”

 

            Kara nodded, “we were roommates. Only for the last year of school – she was in boarding school in Ireland before that.”

 

            “What was she like?”

 

            Alex and Kara both looked at Astra with a bewildered look on their faces, wondering why the princess of Thorul’s personality mattered. Shrugging, Kara grimaced slightly. “She was … distant? She didn’t have any friends – well, maybe one, but they were more rivals. Used to get into a lot of fights too, so she was always in detention. She was a year younger than me, but we were in the same grade because she was so smart – she always used to get kicked out of class for arguing with the teachers. She went through a bit of a weird goth stage too … multiple piercings, purple hair, _way_ too much eyeliner. I didn’t really get to know her all that well, she just used to sit in our dorm room and read by herself and ignore me if she could. I remember her being really stubborn though; I don’t think she liked me much because we disagreed on a lot of things, and neither one of us was willing to back down. To be honest, I think they only threw us in the same room because we were both princesses.”

 

            “Ah, right,” Astra said, “well, I’m sure she’s changed.”

 

            “I’ve seen her at events over the years – she doesn’t have purple hair and piercings anymore. Otherwise, she’s just as stubborn and distant from what I can tell. I haven’t seen her since … God, I don’t know, we don’t really run in the same circles.”

 

            Giving her a tense smile, Astra nodded, “well, they’ll be here soon. I’ll have them brought to the sunlight sitting room when they arrive, shall I?”

 

            “That would be perfect, thank you.”

 

            Astra left a moment later, leaving Kara to sink back against the cushions of the sofa, letting out a weary sigh. She was sick of meeting with people, and this meeting with a Queen Mother of another country wasn’t exactly going to improve her mood. Luckily for Kara, her usual persona was like sunshine, and she was good at faking it too, so taking a deep breath, she plastered a fake smile on her face and turned to Alex.

 

            “If I blink twice, steal Maggie’s gun and shoot me please,” Kara ordered her, and Alex let out a quick laugh.

 

            “It’ll be fine.”

 

\---

 

            Introductions and proper greetings were made, and Kara soon found herself sat at one end of the long table, staring at Lena with curiosity. She was exactly the same as the last time Kara had seen her, with her dark hair, intense green eyes, and a face full of sharp lines and angles, as if she never smiled and didn’t intend to. Feeling slightly intimidated by her, Kara avoided eye contact, and looked to her mother instead. She had met Queen Lillian a number of times on official visits to Thorul, or whenever she’d come to Krypton, and Kara was no less intimidated by her, but it seemed more appropriate to be a bit frightened of a formidable queen than her daughter who was younger than Kara was.

 

            As soon as the niceties were out of the way, which Lena remained silent throughout as she stared at her cup of tea with disinterest, Lillian nodded at Astra, who placed a few pieces of stapled paper down before Kara, and Lillian slid an exact replica down in front of her daughter. “I shall cut to the chase, Your Majesty,” Lillian politely addressed Kara, “your aunt has given you a copy of a contract that your parents made on your behalf when you were a child.”

 

            “And what contract is that?” Kara asked, her eyebrows rising slightly in surprise. She hadn’t been expecting it to be a business visit; she had thought it a diplomatic matter or a courtesy call to check on the new queen of Thorul’s neighbouring country.

 

            “Your parents made an agreement to wed you to my daughter, the princess of Thorul,” Lillian informed her, gesturing to Lena, and Kara and Lena both blanched, looking at each other with wide eyes.

 

            Kara let out a spluttering sound as she stared at Lillian, “you _cannot_ be serious.”

 

            “You must be having a laugh,” Lena snorted, “I should bloody well think _not_.”

 

            Lillian sharply looked down at her daughter, the lines of her face hardening as her eyes flashed with a warning. “You have no say in the matter. You are useless unless your brother dies without an heir, and you’ll do as I say.”

 

            “This isn’t the nineteenth fucking century,” Lena exploded, shooting up out of her seat, “I will _not_ be used as a bargaining chip to strengthen the alliance between our two countries.”

 

            “And nor will I,” Kara stubbornly chimed in, shooting Astra a hard look. Her aunt had known  _exactly_ what the meeting was going to be about, had even enquired as to what Kara thought of Lena, and  _still_ hadn't told her what the meeting was about.

 

            “Ah, well, your parents have already signed an agreement on your behalf, and one has been signed by myself and my husband. In the agreement, it states that any titles and monies accorded to either of you by your position with be forfeit in the circumstance that that you _don’t_ keep your end of the bargain. I assure you that it was a binding contract.”

 

            Kara’s mouth fell open in shock, and she made a small sound of surprise. Looking to Astra, she shot her a questioning look, and her aunt gave her a pained smile. “It’s true, Your Majesty. Your parents didn’t anticipate you taking the throne, but you have, and if you don’t uphold the contract, you’ll have to abdicate the throne. The closest living relative you have is Queen Rhea of Daxam.”

 

            “I would sooner abolish the monarchy,” Kara scoffed.

 

            “Then we are agreed,” Lillian said, with a tight smile.

 

            Lena let out a sound of indignation, “we are certainly _not_ , mother.”

 

            “Then I suppose you had better put that useless arts degree to use. You’ll be cut off from everything and everyone you know,” Lillian coldly told her daughter, and Kara blinked in surprise.

 

            “Perhaps Princess Lena and I could have a moment alone,” Kara asked, and Astra climbed to her feet at the dismissal, and Lillian hesitated for a moment before relenting. The two girls sat at opposite ends of the long table, with Lena staring Kara down as she lowered herself back into her seat, and Kara fiddled nervously with the contract in front of her. “You didn’t know about this?”

 

            Giving Kara a hard stare, Lena crossed her arms over her chest as she sulked, “no I bloody well did _not.”_

 

            “I’m unwilling to give up my crown – I don’t _want_ the crown, but I won’t give it away to a foreign country – and I assume that you don’t want to give up your life of luxury?”

 

            “Obviously not,” Lena snapped, the muscles in her jaw working as she angrily read over the front page of the contract, “but I don’t want to marry _you_.”

 

            Kara let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through her hair, “well I’m not too keen on the idea of marrying _you_ either, but we have to think of something.”

 

            Lena grimaced as she met Kara’s eyes, “you don’t know my mother like I do, there’ll be no getting out of this now.”

 

            “Perhaps not, but we can maybe manipulate the wording. Half of politics is manipulating the law to get what you want, so there must be some way out of this.”

 

            “Go on then,” Lena snorted, rolling her eyes slightly, “have at it.”

 

            With a slight frown, Kara read over the contract, muttering to herself as she read over the contract, her frown deepening as she realised the depth and intricacy of the contract. Lena was right; it would be difficult to worm their way out of this contract. After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence while Kara read and Lena watched her like a hawk, Kara looked up and met her gaze. Lena didn’t so much as flinch at being caught staring, and Kara gave her a grim smile, “I’ll have my lawyer look at it, but for now, I can’t think of a way to get out of it. Our parents have legally bound us to one another in an arranged marriage. Either we agree to cooperate with this fake relationship, or we lose everything that we were born into. Perhaps you should get your lawyer to look at it too.”

 

            “Fuck,” Lena cursed, banging her hand down on the table. She was seething with anger, and Kara blinked in surprise at the tightly balled fists and burning eyes as she looked at the contract before her. “I’m not even twenty-five and she has stolen my life from me already.”

 

            “Well, I’m only a year older,” Kara hesitantly added, falling silent when Lena looked up at her with her eyes blazing with anger. She decided to try a different approach, “when do you suppose they were going to tell us?”

 

            Lena huffed as she drummed her fingers on the table, “well how am I supposed to know? They didn’t even tell me I wasn’t my mom’s until I was ten.”

 

            Kara winced slightly, remembering that Lena was the King’s daughter from an affair with some unknown woman. She’d been granted the title of princess despite that, and become adopted by Lillian from the moment she was born, and raised as the second heir to the throne, after her brother. Neither of them were supposed to take the throne, yet here Kara was, and she was about to be roped into tying Lena to her kingdom too.

 

            “I-I think that we don’t have a choice,” Kara said after a moment, “it clearly says that we must attempt this fake relationship, let it develop over the course of a few years, and then we will marry. I suppose it was a kindness that they took into consideration our sexualities, or else you might’ve found yourself marrying my cousin instead … if he was alive.”

 

            “Or you my brother,” Lena snarkily replied. “Well, I suppose we are in agreement then. We’ll have our lawyers look over it, and in the meantime we’ll place along with this charade. As soon as we find a way to break the contract and keep our titles, we’ll amicably break up and move on with our lives.”

 

            Kara gave her a hesitant smile that Lena didn’t return. “Deal.”

 

            “No,” Lena said, giving her a stony look, “no more deals with your family.”

 

            Kara raised her eyebrows as her lips curled up at the corners, “well … we have an _agreement_ then.”

 

            “I suppose we do, _Your Majesty,”_ Lena said with a wry smile, and Kara let out a laugh of surprise.

 

            A flicker of worry ran through Kara’s mind though, because she’d spent a year sharing the same dorm room with Lena, and although it’d been years ago, she clearly remembered the stubbornness of the girl, and she knew they were both going to be in for a rough time. Neither of them wanted this, and she knew that if anyone was going to make it more difficult than it needed to be, it would be Lena. Staring at the girl smirking across the table from her, Kara couldn’t help but curse out her parents for arranging this deal, because in that smirk, she saw just how much trouble Lena was going to cause for her. The tabloids and wild stories whispered at events were enough to assure her of just how much trouble Lena would be, and Kara hoped her lawyer could find a way out soon, and knew that Lena would be praying for the same thing.

 

            This was going to be the start of both of their nightmare’s.


	2. Chapter 2

           Furious, Kara locked herself in her room for the rest of the night with Alex, who patiently listened to Kara rant, complain, and even cry a little, as she thought about how her parents had sold her life away more than thirteen years ago. To the girl Kara had gone to boarding school with, no less. It wasn’t so much the idea of having to be in a relationship with _Lena,_ it was the thought of being forced to be in a relationship with _anyone_. Not that she didn’t like Lena, but she wouldn’t say she liked her either – Kara didn’t know her. It had been eight _years_ since they’d been in school together, and neither of them were who they used to be. Just the thought of how vehemently opposed to the idea Lena had been earlier on, made Kara doubt whether they could get through this, but she knew they had no choice but to try.

 

           The next morning, Kara woke up early, showering and dressing in a black skirt and dark grey shirt, before pulling on a black sweater. Dressed and ready for the day, she walked into the office connected to her private sitting room and sat down behind the desk. Spinning back and forth in her chair, Kara sighed as she looked around at the shelves full of books that she hadn’t read because she had never stayed at the palace long enough to, before reaching for the phone on the desk and dialling the number for her aunt’s office in the palace.

 

 _“Your Majesty,”_ Astra greeted her when she picked up.

 

           “Good morning,” Kara stiffly replied, not completely forgiving her aunt for keeping her parent’s agreement from her, “I need your help, please.”

 

_“Of course. I’m at your disposal – anything you need. Should I come to your suite?”_

           Kara hesitated, before she grimaced slightly, “no, I just need Princess Lena’s personal number. If I have to pretend that I love her, I should probably have her phone number, wouldn’t you agree?”

 

 _“Ah, yes, of course,”_ Astra agreed, _“I’ll get back to you in a moment.”_

           “Thank you. Just text it to me,” Kara told her, before she hung up and climbed to her feet. Walking out of the office, Kara saw her personal maid, Lyra, carrying in a tray with Kara’s breakfast on it. She’d been taking her meals in her private quarters, rather than the small dining room that the royal family usually ate in, and Lyra quickly dipped into a curtsy, before walking over to the small table and setting down the tray.

 

           Kara murmured her thanks, sitting down at the table while Lyra went to make her bed and clean her rooms. Looking down at the perfectly cut triangles of bread and the boiled egg in the little egg cup. With a sigh, Kara took the top off and miserably ate her breakfast as she thought about what she was going to say to Lena; she was just hoping that Lena would be as willing to cooperate as Kara intended to be. Eating quickly, Kara went to retrieve her phone and dialled the number that Astra had messaged her.

 

           Nobody picked up, and a moment later a blocked number was calling Kara back. “Hello?” she hesitantly asked when she picked up.

 

_“Who is this?”_

 

           “Um, it’s Kara.”

 

 _“Oh … hi. How did you get my number?”_ Lena asked.

 

           Kara nervously fiddled with her glasses as she paced around the sitting room. “Oh, I just asked my aunt, Astra, to get it for me. I thought I’d invite you to the palace today so we could discuss some things.”

 

_“Like what?”_

 

           “Our relationship,” Kara slowly said, “I figured that if we need to make it believable, we should probably know things about each other.”

 

 _“You would assume,”_ Lena curtly replied, _“fine. What time does Your Majesty request my attendance?”_ Kara rolled her eyes at Lena’s sarcasm, sighing softly.

 

           “Um, as soon as you’d like?”

 

           There was a quiet laugh at the other end of the phone, and Lena replied, _“well I would_ not _like to, but seeing as I_ have _to, I’ll be there within the hour.”_

           “Okay,” Kara said, grimacing slightly at Lena’s tone – she was going to be in for a fun day if they kept this up – and hesitated slightly, “well, I’ll see you soon.” The line went dead, and Kara looked down at the screen, before adding Lena’s number to her contacts. Casting a look around her rooms, Kara decided to watch some TV while she waited for Lena to appear and avoided everyone else.

 

\---

 

           “Your Majesty,” Astra said, curtsying slightly as she entered Kara’s rooms, “the princess is downstairs.”

 

           Taking a deep breath, Kara threw her shoulders back and nodded to her aunt, before slipping out into the hallway, where Maggie bowed slightly to her, falling into step behind her and Astra. There had been a debate about her security detail when she’d been declared the next ruler, about a new bodyguard for the Queen, but Kara had won. There were doubts about Maggie’s slight figure, and whether she would be able to protect Kara properly, and Kara had taken offence at the fact that she’d been a suitable bodyguard when she had been third in line for the throne, but now all of a sudden Maggie wasn’t, and had stubbornly refused to replace her.

 

           As they passed through the corridors, Kara spotted Alex walking towards her, and gave her a bright smile. Dipping into a curtsy, Alex smiled at her and waited for Kara and Astra to pass her by, before falling into step as the lowest ranking of the three of them. “What’re you doing today?” Kara asked her adoptive sister, looking over her shoulder as she kept a steady pace.

 

           “Mom wants me to go and have tea with her and John Corben,” Alex said.

 

           “The diplomat from Thorul?” Kara asked, “he’s here too?”

 

           “He is, Your Majesty, and I’ll be joining the Duchess for tea as well,” Astra added. Kara nodded, glad that everyone would be away so that she could figure things out with Lena alone. Just the two of them to come up with their own plan, without the interference of people who had _agreed_ to this whole situation in the first place. At least they couldn’t control this.

 

           As Kara walked down the red carpeted stairs, she made for the sitting room where all guests were received, taking in the back of a black dress and the dark hair curling around Lena’s shoulders. She turned at the sound of approaching footsteps, giving Kara a hard look as she sank into a curtsy, “Your Majesty.”

 

           “Princess,” Kara greeted her, “thank you for coming.”

 

           “It’s my pleasure,” Lena replied, sounding anything but thrilled to be there, and Kara gave her a hesitant smile, before turning to look at her aunt and sister.

 

           “I suppose I’ll see you both later then,” Kara said, subtly dismissing them both, and resigning herself to the fact that Maggie was now her permanent shadow. She’s already been made to sign a new contract and non-disclosure agreement, so Kara wasn’t too bothered about her overhearing anything, as much as she hated the fact that she _would_ overhear some things. “Enjoy your tea.”

 

           They both gave her a curtsy, respectfully nodding to Lena too, before they took their leave. With a sigh, Kara turned back to Lena, gesturing to Maggie. “This is my bodyguard, Maggie.”

 

           “This is _my_ bodyguard, Hector,” Lena said, gesturing to the man behind her. He bowed to Kara, and she kindly greeted him, before looking at Lena. “Well, I suppose that we are permitted to speak freely here?”

 

           Kara nodded, hesitating before she spoke. The castle seemed awfully suffocating at that moment, and she needed some air, “perhaps we could go for a walk through the gardens while we talk?”

 

           “Of course,” Lena readily agreed, and Kara exhaled slowly; so far everything seemed to be going well, and Lena seemed to be in a less sour mood than she had been yesterday. Kara couldn’t blame her though – it had been a shock for both of them – but she wondered how long the civility would last.

 

           In silence, Kara led them both through the palace, with Lena following a step behind her, making her way towards a set of French doors at the back of the palace, looking out over the gardens. Walking out onto the patio, Kara descended the steps, making for the small maze that started off to the left. Walking into the gap in the hedges, Kara quickly navigated the twists and turns of the maze, remembering all the times she’d run through it with Kal-El when her parents frequented the palace. They came to the middle of the maze, where a large round fountain sat, and Kara walked over to the fountain, sitting down on the edge of the low wall. Lena stood before her with her hands clasped behind her back, staring intently at Kara.

 

           “Oh … you can sit down,” Kara said after a few moments, realising that Lena was waiting for her permission, and Lena sat down beside her, leaving a sizable gap between them both. Maggie and Hector both took up positions and the two openings in the maze, their eyes trained on the two women as they awkwardly sat there in silence. “Um, well, I think we should start with getting rid of all the rules and customs and all that. No stuffy titles or curtsying … I mean, what’s the point, they’ll expect us to act like a real couple in front of the rest of the world, and we can’t do that if you can’t even call me by my name.”

 

           “Sounds reasonable,” Lena said, her eyes boring into Kara’s, “I think there’s other matters to do with that as well. They’ll be expecting a _real_ relationship to be presented. Meaning that we shall have to show … _affection_ to each other.”

 

           Kara swallowed the lump in her throat, “right, yes, of course. Well … I suppose it wouldn’t look right to have you trailing after me all the time. I guess we could … hold hands.”

 

           “I don’t like to be touched,” Lena stiffly told her.

 

           “Well how do you suppose we make it look real then if we’re not going to show affection?”

 

           There was a slight pause as Lena contemplated the question, before she pressed her lips together in a grim line. “Fine. But you will only hold my hand, or touch the middle of my back, or put your arm around me. If we must hug, don’t hold me too tightly, and don’t touch my ribs … I’m ticklish.”

 

           Blinking in surprise at the list of ruled, Kara quickly nodded, “of course. I’m fine with anything, but, ah, how should we greet each other? We’ll not only be pretending outside of the palace, but also within. No one except our families and a few essential people know of the deal, and it will obviously have to stay that way, and there’s too many eyes within the palace. We’ll need to make it look convincing then too.”

 

           “I suppose a kiss on the cheek would be appropriate,” Lena begrudgingly agreed.

 

           “And what about … kissing?” Kara hesitantly asked, before clarifying, “like, a proper kiss. They will expect us to try and sneak kisses in public … we’re both young, and supposedly in love.” She let out a quick laugh at that, at the absurdity of the whole situation. “Of course, I don’t want to do anything that would make you uncomfortable though.”

 

           “This whole _thing_ makes me uncomfortable,” Lena grumbled, a look of anger on her face as she fumed, “it goes against all of my morals. Although I shouldn’t be surprised at the fact that my poxy mother would do something like this. I would’ve thought your parents wouldn’t have agreed though … unless they also hated you.”

 

           Kara winced slightly at her words, “no, my parents loved me very much, but, uh, I’m not sure why they agreed to do this. I guess maybe they were just trying to keep popularity with the monarchies, seeing as no one really cares about us anymore. There’s no real power here.”

 

           “No shit,” Lena snorted, “if we had any power, you could tear that contract in half and we could pretend like this whole thing never bloody happened.”

 

           “Well, it looks like we’re going to have to suck it up,” Kara sighed, giving Lena a grim smile. “It could be worse … our parents could’ve tried to pair one of us with Mon-El.”

 

           Lena looked disgusted at the thought, “I’d rather drown myself in this bastard fountain than pretend to be in love with that boring twat. It’s going to be tiring enough having to do it with _you_ , and it’s only slightly more bearable because I had to deal with you as my bloody roommate for a year.”

 

           “Ah, already trying to charm me, I see,” Kara laughed, the joked falling flat as Lena gave her an exasperated look. “Well, I suppose that we should try and learn as much about each other as we can. Just in case. Our friends will probably ask a lot of questions, so we’ll need to know as much as possible to make it look believable.”

 

           “Your friends might, but I don’t have any.”

 

           “Oh … well, I’m sure we’ll have to answer these questions eventually.”

 

           Lena made a disgruntled sound, crossing her arms over her chest. “Well, perhaps we should start with how long we’ve supposedly been together? It would look a bit suspicious if we become an item as soon as you get a crown.”

 

           “Um, I suppose that we could say a few months at least? Which events have we both been at this year? We can use those as covers for us seeing each other under the radar.”

 

           “Smart,” Lena said with approval, and Kara smiled slightly at the praise, “um, we were both at the wedding of Duke Zod to Lady Ursa. He was your uncle’s friend, was he not? And before that, the christening of King Lar Gand’s niece, Laurel, was it not? We were both in London for Wimbledon too … you were there right?”

 

           Kara nodded at each event – she’d been present at them all – and sat with a thoughtful expression on her face. “So, should we say we have been officially dating for six months, and we reacquainted ourselves a few months before that? We can say we kept it a secret from everyone except our families, but … the loss of _my_ family made you come rushing to my side – ever the loving girlfriend.”

 

           Lena rolled her eyes at Kara’s words, but agreed. “You should introduce me to your friends then – soon – or they won’t believe us. Also, we should have some inside sources leak stories about our relationship and speak about me rushing to your side to help you mourn. That way when we make our first public appearance, it’ll add some fuel to the rumours that we _are_ dating.”

 

           “Right, yes, of course.”

 

           “And I think that we should deny it,” Lena added, making Kara’s eyes widen in surprise.

 

           “Deny it? Why?”

 

           Shrugging slightly, Lena gestured vaguely, “you’ll be crowned in a couple of months, and then you’ll have to go on a coronation tour. You’ll be interviewed, and of _course_  the pissing press will ask about us. If you deny that we’re anything but close friends, then when we’re seen publically being affectionate, it’ll blow up.”

 

           “Fair point,” Kara agreed, thinking about how shrewd Lena was if this was everything she’d come up with overnight. A part of Kara wondered how much of who she was was an act, a cunningly clever act that had been put together so well that no one would ever know the difference. “Perhaps you could schedule a conveniently timed trip to one of the stops on my coronation tour.”

 

           “France,” Lena blurted out, shrugging slightly at the eyebrow Kara arched, “I’ve been meaning to go snowboarding lately. I can go up to the mountains while I’m there.”

 

           “Royals don’t snowboard,” Kara laughed, “we ski.”

 

           “ _You_ do whatever you’re told, because you've always been the perfect princess,” Lena corrected her, “I don't because I'm not.”

 

           Giving Lena an exasperated look, Kara sighed, “and are you going to do what you’re told in this? Or are we going to spend all of our time bickering over small details?”

 

           A smirk curled the corners of Lena’s lips as she looked at Kara, her eyes sparkling with a glimmer of amusement, “oh yes, we shall bicker over everything, I should think. I’m  _very_ stubborn, if you remember correctly, and if _I_ remember correctly, so are you.”

 

           “Brilliant,” Kara glumly replied, “we’re going to be in for a real treat.”

 

           “Well, I guess I’ve truly signed my life away,” Lena coolly said.

 

           Laughing, Kara tilted her head to the side as she pushed her glasses up her nose, taking in the dissatisfied frown gracing Lena’s face. “You know, most people would see me as a grand prize.”

 

           “Yes, well, that’s certainly what _they_ think,” Lena curtly replied, giving Kara a tight smile. “No matter, we’re stuck with each other for the time being. Hopefully we’ll be able to break this bleeding contract before this goes much further. I dread to think about it getting to the point where we _actually_ have to pretend that we _like_ each other, let alone  _love._ ”

 

           “Hopefully,” Kara agreed, a feeling of dread filling her at the thought of not being able to free herself from the contract. She didn’t want to spend her entire life pretending to love someone – she wanted to _really_ love someone. “Right, well then, first things first, when is your birthday?”

 

           Snorting at the basic question that they still didn’t know the answer to, Lena gave her a grim smile, “bonfire night.”

 

           “Bonfire night?” Kara asked, looking slightly puzzled.

 

           “Yes, the fifth of November. Did you even pay attention in history?”

 

           Kara let out a surprised laugh, “well how could I when you would argue with the teachers at every possible moment?”

 

           “Um, I distinctly remember us _both_ getting kicked out of class one day because we argued so much during a class … _discussion_ , and I ended up with detention because we kept bickering outside in the hallway and told the Headmaster to fuck off.”

 

           “Ah, yes, I remember that,” Kara said, her lips twitching up into a smile as her eyes crinkled at the corners, “ever the rebel. You don’t have your purple hair now though.”

 

           “No,” Lena stiffly replied, “apparently it wasn’t _appropriate_ for a princess.”

 

           Biting her lip to stop herself from smiling, Kara let her fingertips trail in the cool water of the fountain, “I can’t imagine why.”

 

           Lena made a sound of indignation at the back of her throat, huffing slightly as she looked at the perfectly trimmed hedges. “Well, when’s your birthday then?”


	3. Chapter 3

            “Arrangements for the funerals should be finalised soon, and ready for the end of the month, Your Majesty,” Astra said, and Kara closed her eyes at the title. She wished that everyone would just call her by her name, as they used to, but now when her name  _was_  used instead of her title, it always preceded by Queen. It was all a bit too much for Kara, and it had barely been two weeks.

 

            “Thank you,” Kara said, giving Astra a slight smile, before she hesitated. “You should probably know that I’m planning on leaving. I was going to go to Sol Palace until the funeral.”

 

            Astra’s eyes widened slightly, and she shifted forward in her seat. “Sol Palace? You haven’t been there since …”

 

            “Since mother and father died, I know,” Kara finished for her, “but it’s where I grew up, and I need some time away from all of …  _this_ ,” Kara said, waving a hand around the room in a vague gesture, “to think things over.”

 

            “Kara, if I may … I think it would be best to stay here and help plan everything and make sure that everything is as you would like. Queen Lillian is still here, and you should spend as much time with her daughter as possible to ensure that your relationship looks natural when you have your first public outing. Sol Palace is a three-hour drive, and it’s too far for us to reach you quickly for your opinion.”

 

            “They’re called phones, Aunt Astra,” Kara told her with a lopsided smile, “and I can still plan from the palace. I just … I’m still waiting on Lucy to get back to me about the contract, and Lena and I have discussed what will happen if we  _can’t_  break the contract, so we’ve already made some preparations.”

 

            Sighing slightly, Astra pressed her lips together in a grim line, looking at her niece with concern. “You know that I love you as if you were my own daughter,” she told Kara, who nodded, “and so I tell you this only to let you down gently, but … you shouldn’t get your hopes up about breaking the contract. If you need some time to adjust to this arrangement, then by all means, take a week to go to Sol Palace … but I wouldn’t expect good news once your lawyer friend finishes looking over it.”

 

            Looking slightly disgruntled at Astra’s lack of optimism, Kara seemed to deflate slightly. “I just don’t understand why they would do this. It’s not how things are done anymore, and  _they_ were never part of an arranged marriage. Did grandpa suggest it?”

 

            “No, they made this decision themselves,” Astra told her, accompanied with a pitying look, “and it was to protect you. They made it just before they died. It was originally going to be to the Prince of Norway, and well, you told them that you liked girls  _and_ boys, and it turned out that so did the Princess of Thorul, and they reconsidered. They wanted to strengthen your position, without jeopardising any lines of successions, and an arranged marriage would help ally ourselves with another nation. They had  _no_  idea you’d become queen, of course.”

 

            “Well it’s ridiculous,” Kara huffed, fiddling with the cuff of her black dress, “and completely primitive.”

 

            “You’ll find no argument with me,” Astra assured her with a smile, “but perhaps you should invite Princess Lena to accompany you on your trip. I know you’re trying to sort through it all, but if you want to make it believable, a week in the mountains ought to help give you enough fuel to spark the rumours …  _if_  Lucy doesn’t find a way out.”

 

            Kara groaned at the prospect of being locked inside her childhood home for a week with Lena – they were trying to be civil within the palace here, because the staff were wandering around everywhere – and knew that being isolated in the mountains was the  _exact_  opposite of a good way for them to bond. It would be a miracle if one of them didn’t throw themselves off one of the balconies, just to be free of the other. Not that Kara didn’t  _like_  Lena, but she certainly was already finding Lena’s pessimism and snark tiring, and the thought of a week cooped up on a private estate with her wasn’t exactly appealing, especially when all she wanted was a bit of peace and quiet. There was no way around it though, and Kara knew that if she left Lena behind, questions would be raised and whispered throughout the castle. At least at Sol Palace, there would be less eyes because the place had been closed up since Kara’s parents had died, and there wouldn’t be any staff except what they could spare from Sunstone Palace.

 

            Begrudgingly, Kara nodded, “fine, I guess she can come too.”

 

            “I shall have some staff members go and open up the palace for you and ready it for tomorrow.”

 

            “No, I want to leave as soon as possible.”

 

            “Oh, well, I’ll instruct them immediately then,” Astra said, as accommodating to Kara’s wishes as always, “you should go and find Princess Lena and tell her to pack a bag.”

 

            Standing up, Kara watched Astra jump to her feet too and bit back a sound of irritation, before thanking her aunt and walking out of the sitting room. Maggie fell into step behind Kara as they made their way through the corridors, in search of the room that Lena had been put up in. Coming to a stop outside, Kara nodded to Hector, who bowed, took a deep breath and raised her hand to knock. The sound of Lena permitting her to enter drifted towards her, and so Kara pushed open the door and walked into the generous suite Lena had been housed in.

 

            Lena blinked in surprise at the sight of Kara, and quickly dipped into a curtsy on instinct as she tied the front of her silk bathrobe shut and arched an eyebrow at the queen. Her hair was up in a towel, having clearly just got out of the shower, and Kara hesitated slightly in the doorway.

 

            “As much as I’m sure the rest of the castle would like to see me changing, I don’t really fancy a bloody audience, so would you mind closing the door?” Lena asked, a slight smirk playing on her lips.

 

            “Sorry, I didn’t know you were changing,” Kara apologised as she unfroze, quickly shutting the door and walking a few steps in. “I, um, I came to tell you that I’m leaving for a week. I, uh, well I was wondering if you’d like to come with me. It’s just to Sol Palace – it’s a few hours away, at the foot of the mountains – and it’s very reclusive, so you don’t have to worry about bumping into me there. There’s enough room for us both to avoid each other  _and_  come up with an impromptu romantic getaway.”

 

            Lena snorted with laughter, “yes, I’m sure it’ll be _very_ romantic when one of us hikes it up the mountains and throws ourselves of the highest peak to put us out of our fucking misery.”

 

            A slight smile curled Kara’s lips, and she pushed her glasses up her nose as she looked at Lena, “well, I didn’t want to spoil the surprise, but now I know you’ll love it so I’m a bit less worried.”

 

            Letting out a bark of laughter at Kara’s dry humour, Lena walked into the bedroom, and Kara patiently waited for her to dress as she listened to the sound of Lena’s voice floating through the open door. “A week you say? And we don’t have to keep up appearances?”

 

            “Yes, just a week, and well … there won’t be  _as_ many people, but we’ll still probably need to take our meals together and probably go on at least one walk through the estate for any photographers snooping around, but otherwise, you’re free to hole yourself up in your room.”

 

            “Well I’ve never been one to pass up an opportunity to avoid people,” Lena replied, walking back into the sitting room as she buttoned up her black shirt.

 

            Kara gave her a grim smile, “well, I’ll leave you to pack a bag. I plan on leaving as soon as possible, so I’m hoping that’s within the hour. You should tell your mother.”

 

            Rolling her eyes, Lena crossed her arms over her chest, and raised her eyebrows expectantly, waiting for Kara to say something else or leave. Hesitating, Kara opened her mouth and then quickly closed it again, giving Lena a quick nod before turning around and walking out of the room. They hadn’t even left yet, and had spoken for less than five minutes, and already Kara felt her frustration growing at the cold and aloof manner that Lena behaved. It was going to be a trying week.

 

\---

 

            They sat in the back of the monarch’s car, with its bombproof body, bulletproof glass and basically everything that could make it withstand a tank, Kara in the back right corner, typing away on her laptop and sneaking peeks at Lena. There had been a slight  _debate_  about whether Lena should be allowed to go in her own car, before Kara had won, and Lena had begrudgingly agreed under the terms that Kara not speak to her on the drive. They were currently two hours into the drive north, and so far so good, as Lena sat opposite Kara and as far to the left side of the car as she could get. Putting her earphones in and blasting some classical music that annoyed Kara from where she sat, Lena ignoring her as she steadily read her way through a book on the Russian dynasty, with a pair of glasses perched on her nose.

 

            It wasn’t until Lena’s phone started to vibrate that she paused her music and looked down at her phone, sighing as she answered it. “Yes?”

 

            “Well I assumed  _someone_  would tell you.”

 

            “I thought you’d be happy that I’m spending time with the new great love of my life,” Lena snarkily replied to whatever Lillian (Kara assumed) said.

 

            “Yes, well, it’s not like I have a choice anyway.” With that, Lena hung up and plugged her earphones back into the phone, momentarily glancing up at Kara and finding her staring at her. She scowled at Kara, who nervously fiddled with her glasses. “Can I help you,  _Your Majesty.”_

 

            Kara closed her eyes and took a deep breath, exhaling slowly as her eyelids fluttered back open. “I told you  _not_  to call me that, and yes, you can. I told you to tell your mom that we were going away for a week.”

 

            “Luckily for me, you’re not  _my_  queen,” Lena shrugged, picking her book back up and opening up to where she left off, “which means that I bloody well don’t have to listen to  _you_.”

 

            “Has anyone ever told you that you’re completely insufferable?” Kara grumbled, looking back at her laptop screen.

 

            Lena let out a sharp laugh, flashing a cold smile at Kara, “never to my face.”

 

            With a brooding look on her face, Kara found herself distracted from her research by thoughts of Lena. She still couldn’t peg her, and it was infuriating. Kara liked to think that she was warm and open, despite all the hurt she had endured, yet she couldn’t break through to Lena at all. It was almost like being back at boarding school all over again, except this time, they would be forced to spend the rest of their lives together, as opposed to one school year. The thought of putting up with this much sarcasm and defensiveness for decades made Kara think back to Lena’s suggestion that one of them fling themselves off the top of the mountain – it almost seemed like the more tempting offer at the moment. If Kara could only make Lena cooperate a bit, it would make things  _so much_  easier, and perhaps a bit more bearable, but she was so stubborn that Kara couldn't imagine Lena ever giving even an inch without a fight. Resigning herself to the fact that she would just have to endure it, Kara silently prayed to Lucy to find a loophole in the contract and free her. Free them  _both_.

 

            By the time they made it to the palace, the sun was shining brightly overhead, and as Kara stepped out of the stuffy car, she basked in the warmth of the sun on her face. Lena just breezed past her and made straight for the shade that the palace offered within its walls, and Kara let out an exasperated sigh. She was in for a rough time, that was for sure. Leaving the servants to rush forward and collect their luggage, Kara stalked off after Lena with Maggie following closely behind and Hector breezing past as he rushed after his client.

 

            Coming to the front doors of the palace, Kara hesitated. She hadn’t been back there for thirteen years, and a lump formed in her throat at the thought of walking down the hallways she’d used to run down as a child, or sitting at the dining table she’d eaten at every night with her parents. A feeling of nervousness welled up within her, and Kara took a deep breath as she stepped over the threshold of the palace.

 

            A nearby butler bowed as she entered, informing her that a room had been prepared for her and asking if there were any particular rooms that she’d like the furniture uncovered in. A few minutes later, Kara was walking over to the staircase and making her way up to her room – it wasn’t the one she’d grown up in - and Kara felt a bit uneasy as she passed the paintings and tables, walking over the thick carpet and passing familiar doors. There was so much that was familiar to her, and she remembered more than she thought she did.

 

            As soon as she reached her room, she shut herself inside and fell back against the doors, drawing in a shuddering breath as she reached into the handbag she carried. Fishing out her phone, she quickly dialled Alex’s number, hoping that the one person who had always been there would come and help her.

 

             _“Hi.”_

            “Alex! I need you.”

 

             _“I know,”_  her adoptive sister laughed,  _“I’m already on my way, I just thought you might need a few hours alone to sort through your feelings. Try not to panic until I get there.”_

Kara let out a sigh of relief, feeling instantly better. “Right, yes, of course. No freaking out. Thank you.”

 

             _“You’re welcome. I’ll see you soon.”_

“Okay. Love you, bye.”

 

            Alex reiterated the sentiment before the line went dead, and Kara stared around the room. It was one of the guest suites – for the more distinguished guests – and even though she’d never stayed in it herself, the furniture was familiar to her. Every inch of this palace had once been known to her, and she’d spent hours exploring rooms with Alex when they had both been young. With a rush of gratitude, Kara realised just how lucky she was to have Alex. Their mothers had been best friends, and their daughters had been raised the same way up until they had become sisters, and Kara knew that no matter what, she’d always have her sister on her side. She didn’t think that Alex would be much help with her and Lena though – that was a fight that Kara would have to muddle through alone, for the most part.


	4. Chapter 4

            They were halfway through their stay at Sol Palace, and much to Kara’s surprise it hadn’t been _that_ bad. Perhaps it was because she’d had a few weeks to get used to the idea of her being contractually obligated to fake date Lena, or the fact that she was away from dozens of prying eyes and inquiring officials. Either way, Kara found that eating meals with Lena was bearable, even if it was mostly in silence, or accompanied by Alex’s polite attempts at conversation. Lena was as grouchy as ever, but she did indulge Kara in a few walks through the gardens where they quizzed each other about dozens of random facts that they might possibly be asked one day. Still, every day Kara called Lucy, hoping to find out that she had found a loophole, but was disappointed each time.

 

            It almost seemed to relax Kara to be away from Argo City though, as if she left all of her worries behind, and she soon stopped feeling anxious at being back in her childhood home. Alex had been by her side almost every moment since she’d joined her at the palace, helping Kara come to terms with being back in the place she had once called home, and it had been a small source of comfort to have someone who she shared so many happy memories with at the palace. She hadn’t been in her old rooms though – or her parents – and a part of her was itching to go in and see if anything had changed.

 

            It was the morning of the fourth day when she finally built up the courage to do it. She’d gotten up early, just as the sun was starting to rise, and decided to take a walk through the hallways to clear her head. Maggie was off duty, and while there was a bodyguard stationed outside her door, they remained where they stood when Kara instructed them to stay. She would be safe inside the palace – there were guards stationed down basically every hallway – and so, Kara set off through the palace, only pausing when she passed familiar white doors. Standing outside them and staring for a few moments, Kara hesitantly reached out and pushed the doors open.

 

            They parted to reveal a dark room – the curtains were drawn – and all of the furniture was draped with white cloths to keep the dust off. Walking in, Kara lifted one edge of the cloth draped over a grand piano off to left, trailing her fingertips over the smooth wood that covered the ivory keys. It felt strange to be back in her old room, and she wasn’t sure whether she liked it or not. Wandering around, she ran her fingers along the familiar wallpaper, lifted the sheet and flopped down onto the queen single bed, and pulled open the curtains to look out at the view she’d woken up to a thousand times. Next to one of the windows was an object draped with another white cloth, and Kara smiled as she hesitantly reached out to pull the fabric off the small easel. The wood was stained a multitude of coloured paint, and Kara ran her fingers over the blank canvas that hadn’t been removed. There was a cupboard nearby, where she had used to keep all her art supplies, and she found that everything was still in its place; the small apron on a hook, a dozen palettes piled haphazardly on top of one another, and a rainbow of coloured oil paints.

 

            Reaching out, Kara plucked up a tube of red paint and twisted the cap off. It was still sealed, and perfectly fine for painting, and Kara turned to look at the blank canvas, before she pulled out a palette and squirted the entire tube onto it. She had lost some of her motivation to paint after her parents had died – her mother had always encouraged her, and she’d been _good_ at it – and she had taken up sketching instead, but she suddenly had the urge to paint. Plucking a thick paintbrush from the cupboard, Kara began to paint bold lines of red over the canvas, with no plans as to what she would paint. She soon grew frustrated though, and painted the entire thing in the one shade of red, furiously covering every inch of the white, until the front of her clean shirt was covered in the paint.

 

            A flicker of movement out of the corner of Kara’s eye made her jerk her head around, paintbrush poised mid-air. It was Lena. She hovered uncertainly in the door way, a slight frown on her face as she looked at Kara. “Sorry,” she murmured, “I didn’t mean to disturb you, I just saw that the door was open.”

 

            “Oh … right,” Kara said, putting down the palette and moving to wipe her hands on her shirt, before she realised that they were covered in paint, “I was just, uh, painting.”

 

            “I can see that, actually,” Lena said, smirking slightly as she walked into the room, letting her eyes wander around the room. Some of the sass seemed to dissipate slightly when she realised that the pink floral wallpaper and pink sofa, and other signs of childish girliness, were all signs of a child’s room. “Oh … this is your room.”

 

            Kara nodded, her lips pressed together in a grim line as she looked back at her painting. “It _was_.”

 

            “Sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude,” Lena said, and Kara looked back over to her and gave her a soft smile.

 

            “You’re not,” Kara said, and Lena nodded, walking over to the easel. Looking down at her red hands, Kara balled them into fists, the paint slick on her palms as she swallowed the lump in her throat. “I, uh, it’s silly.”

 

            Lena stood next to her shoulder, her head tilted to the side as she looked at the dark red that Kara had completely covered the canvas in. “No art is silly. Everything has meaning … even this.”

 

            “Yes,” Kara laughed, her cheeks slightly pink as she watched Lena scrutinise the sloppy brushstrokes, “it means that I’m out of practice.”

 

            “You should give it a name.”

 

            Letting out a quick laugh, Kara pushed her glasses up her nose, her eyes crinkling at the corners. “It’s not exactly name worthy.”

 

            They were silent for a few moments, and then Lena spoke. “Monochrome Red.”

 

            Kara blinked in surprise, staring after Lena as she walked away from her. It was probably the most civil conversation they’d had since they’d been thrown together, and Kara was startled by the fact that it had been longer than two minutes without a snarky comment off Lena. She looked after her with a puzzled look on her face, arranging her features into a blank mask when Lena paused in the doorway and turned to look at her.

 

            “You have paint on your face, by the way,” she said, smirking at Kara. Blushing furiously, Kara wiped at her face with her shirtsleeve, rolling her eyes as she watched Lena laugh and disappear from sight. Of _course_ it wouldn’t last long.

 

\---

 

            “My lawyer, Lucy, said that she’s had a look over the contract and it doesn’t look like there’s anything that can be done. She said that there’s a lot of fine details, which are binding, _but_ she’s only been looking for like a week, so she’s going to rope in her sister to help her too.”

 

            Lena frowned at Kara as she lifted her teacup to her lips, leaving a smudge of red lipstick on the fine china. “I thought we were supposed to be keeping it a secret, not telling anybody who’ll bloody listen,” Lena grumbled, “how am I supposed to know that I can trust these people?”

 

            “Her sister is a lawyer as well – they’re the daughter’s of Samuel Lane, the owner of Lane LLP – so they know what they’re doing, and their whole family has been my family’s lawyers for a long time. Lois – Lucy’s older sister – she was engaged to my cousin. She’ll help,” Kara explained, reaching for a finger sandwich.

 

            They were sat at a small table placed in the middle of the sprawling gardens, enjoying – or pretending to – a small afternoon tea with just the two of them. In reality, it was more of a rundown on how things were progressing with undoing the contract, as well as a chance to quiz each other some more. The weather was quite mild that day, a stark contrast to the cold weather that had been sweeping through, and the weak sunlight was enough to make Kara relax slightly as she basked in the warmth of it. Sipping her tea, and having what almost resembled a normal conversation, Kara found herself feeling less tense than she usually was around Lena.

 

            “Well, _my_ lawyer still hasn’t come up with anything either, so I guess they’re both fucking useless,” Lena sighed, fiddling with her teaspoon.

 

            “I mean, I wouldn’t call them useless,” Kara hedged, falling silent and the look of irritation Lena shot her.

 

            Neither of them spoke for a few minutes, as Kara ate her sandwich and Lena poured herself another cup of tea, and eventually the silence became unbearable. Kara was itching to say _anything_ just so that the tension would go away, and so she blurted out the first thing that came to mind, “I got the scar on my forehead from the chickenpox.”

 

            As soon as the words slipped out, Kara wished that she had kept her mouth shut, and she felt her face turning red as a slow smile spread across Lena’s face. It was almost smug, as if she had been waiting for Kara to crack under the weight of the silence. “Well, that’s just _fascinating_ ,” Lena replied, smirking as she picked up a strawberry jam tart and put it on her plate. Almost as if she felt bad for Kara, she let out a sigh, “the one under my eyebrow is from a fight. You remember Veronica Sinclair, right?”

 

            “Yeah, and I remember that fight too,” Kara said, wincing slightly. An all girls boarding school hadn’t been as fun as it sounded – especially not when it was one of the most prestigious schools in the _world_ , and had been full of rich snobs, royals, or one or two geniuses who had been offered scholarships. “Why did she dislike you so much? You were only there for a year and you must’ve gotten into at _least_ six fights.”

 

            Smiling slightly, Lena shrugged, “new girl with a funny accent and purple hair? Why wouldn’t I be picked on? I actually see her at a lot of parties, we get along quite well. I mean, we’re not friends, but we … well, we’re acquaintances I guess.”

 

            “Are you two … you know …”

 

            “Are you asking me about my sex life?” Lena blinked in surprise, her face stiffening slightly

 

            “No!” Kara exclaimed, fighting back another blush as she scowled at Lena, “it’s just … what if we _were_ both dating someone. Then what? Would they have split us up to make way for their grand marriage plans?”

 

            Lena’s defences seemed to lower slightly, but she still gave Kara a wary look. “Well I’ve never had much time for serious relationships, but if you want to find someone to fuck on the side, then be my guest. I won’t stop you.”

 

            “You know, for a princess, your language is appalling,” Kara chided Lena, taking a sip of tea as she tried to change the topic.

 

            “Well don’t talk to me if you don’t like the way I talk,” Lena coolly replied, arching one of her eyebrows at her.

 

            “Can’t you just be nice for longer than two minutes?” Kara snapped, “I already have enough on my plate, what with the majority of my family’s funerals coming up, a coronation for a position I never planned on inheriting, and just about every other thing that’s going to come along and ruin the rest of my life, and what I _don’t_ need sarcastic comments and rudeness from you.”

 

            Looking stunned by Kara’s outburst, Lena muttered something under her breath as she reached for her tea, taking a sip before she carefully set it down. “Listen, I’m not going to pretend to be happy about this. I have my own life, doing what I like, when I like, and I’m sorry if you think I’m being rude, but I won’t pretend to be nice to you to make you feel better. You have your own family for that.”

 

            “I’m not asking you to make me feel better,” Kara said in a biting tone, “I’m asking you to not be such a bitch all the time.”

 

            “Oo, language, Your Majesty,” Lena said in a teasing tone, her eyes flashing a warning as she stared hard at Kara. “And you don’t even know me.”

 

            “I know you well enough,” Kara stiffly replied.

 

            Lena scoffed, pushing her chair out and climbing to her feet. She balled up the napkin and threw it down on her plate, the muscles in her jaw working as she gave Kara a cold look. “No, you don’t.”

 

            Before she could stop her, Lena stalked off, leaving Kara sat at the table in the middle of the rose bushes and peonies, drinking her tea as she picked apart a raspberry muffin in her frustration. For a single moment, it seemed like they would be able to somewhat get along, but they were still stuck exactly where they had been – or perhaps a few steps back from where they’d started, because at least now, neither of them were trying to follow etiquette.

 

\---

 

            Taking a deep breath, Kara hesitated before she knocked on the door. Loud classical music was coming from inside, and she had to knock again – louder this time – to make herself heard. The door was torn open by a scowling Lena, who scowled even more as she looked at Kara. “Can I help you?”

 

            “I- … can I come in?”

 

            Sighing, Lena stepped aside and let her in, and Kara lifted the small plate that she carried, before setting it down on the table. “Strawberry cheesecake. You told me that was your favourite.”

 

            “I didn’t ask for cheesecake,” Lena bluntly replied.

 

            Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, Kara exhaled forcefully and ran a hand through her hair. “It’s an apology. I was out of line – we both were – and you were right … I don’t know you. Not well. I know a lot of facts about you now, and I know the person you pretend to be … but I don’t know _you._ I’m sorry for calling you a bitch.”

 

            Lena laughed, a smirk pulling up one side of her mouth, “oh, no, you were right about that part, but you think I’m being bitchy for all the wrong reasons.”

 

            “Why can’t you just make it easier for us?” Kara asked, letting out an exasperated sigh, “you’re making it harder than it needs to be, and it’s already hard enough.”

 

            “Oh, I’m sorry, am I supposed to be _thrilled_ that I’m stuck in a contract with you?”

 

            “No! I’m not thrilled either.”

 

            Lena pinched the bridge of her nose as she closed her eyes, “well then what do you want from me?”

 

            “To try!”

 

            “I am trying,” Lena snapped, her head jerking up to give Kara a sharp look, “you think I would be here if I wasn’t trying? I have dozens of facts about you memorised that I, quite frankly, don’t give a shit about, but I remembered them because I’m _trying.”_

 

            “Well it’s no good only trying around other people!” Kara argued, “we’re going to be thrown together for social events and holidays and all sorts. People will expect us to be in love – to be giddy and so sickeningly sweet that they get jealous of us. If you can’t even sit through afternoon tea with me, then how are we going to last the rest of our lives?”

 

            Lena gave her a lopsided smile, “well, my parents married for love and they were never all of those things.”

 

            “But that’s because they never had to _pretend._ They _were_ in love.”

 

            “Well that’s debatable,” Lena snorted, and Kara rolled her eyes.

 

            “Just … we need to make it believable. Neither of us know how to live any differently, so we need to make it work. Please, just … why can’t we talk like this all the time? We’re being civil now … maybe not _nice_ , but civil. There’s no need for tantrums and snarky comments. I know it’s going to be hard when we have to fool the whole world, but if we can at least act like we like each other, even in private … it’ll make it easier.”

 

            They fell into silence for a few moments, and Lena walked over to the table, pulling the plate closer and taking a bite of the cheesecake. “Well I don’t _dislike_ you, although you talk far too much for my liking.”

 

            “I don’t dislike you either.”


	5. Chapter 5

            “Are you ready?”

 

            Kara turned away from the window to look at Alex, giving her a small smile while she tugged at the black dress she wore. It was the day of the funeral, and it would be her first public appearance since her family had been killed. Aside from the trip to Sol Palace, where she had gone from palace to car to palace, she hadn’t left the grounds of the castle, which meant that today, there would be dozens of cameras and reporters waiting to catch a glimpse of her, and Kara had been so sick with nerves that she had barely slept all night.

 

            “Yeah, I was just-“

 

            “Don’t worry, Maggie won’t let anyone near you,” Alex assured her.

 

            Raising her eyebrows, Kara tilted her head to the side as she looked at her sister, “ _Maggie?_ I didn’t realise you were so familiar with my bodyguard.”

 

            “We’re not,” Alex quickly corrected her, “I was just … making sure Sawyer wouldn’t leave your side today. There’s going to be a lot of people.”

 

            “Thanks for reminding me,” Kara grumbled, walking over to where a pair of small black heels were waiting for her. She slipped them on and gave Alex a grim smile, before making for the door. Maggie gave her a slight bow and murmured a respectful greeting as Kara walked out into the hallway, and started making her way through the palace. The exquisite paintings, Persian rugs, and finely crafted furniture all seemed out of place on such a gloomy day. Making her way down to the entrance hall, Kara saw Astra stood with Eliza and her Uncle Non, and with a start, she realised that this was all the family she had now. They all bowed or dipped into curtsies as Kara descended the stairs, and she nodded to some of the officials, servants and guards stood around.

 

            Giving Kara a small smile as she approached, Eliza took a step forward. “Your Majesty.”

 

            Sighing, Kara fought back the urge to rub her tired eyes beneath her glasses – she’d just spent almost two hours being made presentable by a manner of stylists – and she gave Eliza a soft smile in return. “Eliza, you really don’t have to call me that. You’ve been my mom for half of my life, it seems a but pointless now.”

 

            “You are just like your mother,” Astra said, reaching out to put a hand on Kara’s shoulder, “she was never one for stuffy titles.”

 

            “Is that so?” Kara asked, her eyebrows rising slightly. If her mom hadn’t been so preoccupied with ensuring that Kara have a secure alliance with another country, for the sake of her position, she wouldn’t be in this mess in the first place.

 

            Astra tutted her, giving her niece a tight smile, “you know what I mean.”

 

            “Well, we’d better get on with this then,” Kara glumly replied, throwing back her shoulders and walked over to the main doors of the palace. Two guards bowed slightly, before pulling the doors open, and Kara was met with dozens of flashes as pictures were snapped, and the overwhelming sound of people shouting. She was used to it – she had spent years practicing being in the public eye – and she wouldn’t falter now. Her aunt and uncle, and Eliza and Alex, all fell into formation behind her as she slowly walked outside and descended the front steps, keeping a blank expression on her face. Willing herself not to cry, and not to tremble, she put one foot before the other and focused solely on the black car waiting for her. It was only a minute before she was being bundled into the back of it, with Alex and Maggie, while everyone else waited for other cars to come and get them.

 

            Her grandfather’s body was transported in a horse-drawn gun carriage, surrounded by a military contingent as soldiers were present to pay their respects to their monarch. The royal standard and flowers on the coffin were joined by the king’s crown, right where his head would be beneath the wood. The bodies of her uncle, aunt and cousin would be transported behind the late king’s in hearses, accompanied by bands of military personnel and government officials. It would be a nation-wide occasion, and everyone important in the country would be there, as well as high-ranking figures from around the world.

 

            Settled inside the car, with the dark tinted windows hiding her from view, Kara let out a shaky breath, leaning her head back against the headrest. A gentle squeeze on her knee made her look at Alex, who was looking at her with concern. “Are you okay?”

 

            “I’ll manage,” Kara murmured as the car started making a wide loop around the courtyard and out through the gates. Hundreds of people pressed in on both sides, held back by railings and dozens of cops, and Kara shrunk back into her seat as she watched everyone shout and wave at the passing car, waving small flags with the royal coat of arms on it. It was a reality shock to Kara to see how little people cared about the fact that most of her family were dead – they didn’t _care_ – and they might’ve been there to pay their respects, but they sadness of the day seemed to have been overshadowed by the chance to see the new queen. Kara felt almost sick.

 

            The drive to the cathedral wasn’t long – it was a straight line from the palace gates to the front doors of it – and Kara was breathing rapidly by the time the car was pulling to a stop. “Alex-“

 

            “Hey, okay, you’re fine, just take a deep breath okay? I’m here, mom’s here, Astra’s here. We’ve got you. You’re not alone,” Alex quickly reassured her, trying to calm Kara down before she got in front of the cameras. She felt like she was going to pass out, feeling a maelstrom of emotions within, but beneath the mask of makeup, she looked as normal as usual. Only her eyes betrayed her panic.

 

            Taking two quick, deep breaths to steady herself, Kara nodded, “yes, of course. I’m just being silly.”

 

            “It’s not silly to grieve,” Alex assured her, giving her sister’s shoulder a squeeze, “you just can’t do it in public. Not right now.”

 

            The car came to a complete stop and a guard wearing the red livery of the palace guard rushed forward to open the door, bowing her head as she stood to attention. Kara climbed out, taking a deep breath as she looked at the assembled people outside and just within the doors to the cathedral. Lena was there, alongside Lillian and her brother, King Alexander, who had flown in last night. There was Prime Minister Grant, and a few other Kryptonian officials and titled individuals, and the Daxam royal family, as well as many European nobles. She would have to greet them all properly while the cameras and reporters watched them all fuss about and fawn over each other, and Kara wasn’t in the mood for any of it. If she had it her way, the funeral would’ve been a private affair with only her family and their closest friends, but privacy was a thing that her highly public life wouldn’t afford her.

 

            To Kara’s surprise, as she took a step towards, Lena stepped forward from her mother and brother, dipping into a slight curtsy, given the amount of cameras and people watching. This would be their first time in public together, and Kara didn’t want to have to smile and act like she was in love, but then she realised that no one would expect that of her right now anyway, so she angled slightly in her direction. Lena gave her the barest hint of a smile, and the usual snark and glee of winding Kara up was gone from her eyes, placed with pity instead.

 

            “Should I kiss you on the cheek?” Lena murmured, her lips barely moving and her voice low amidst the screams and shouts.

 

            “Yes,” Kara muttered – it was an acceptable greeting between those familiar with each other, and it would get people talking – stepping forward and reaching out for Lena. She pressed her hand against Lena’s back, making sure not to hold her too close – as Lena had requested – and they both kissed each other on the cheeks, careful not to leave lipstick marks. Even more to Kara’s surprise, Lena slipped her hand in hers and loosely laced their fingers together. Masking her surprise, Kara gave her what she hoped resembled a somewhat loving smile and turned to look at Alex, who came up behind her and placed a hand on Kara’s shoulder.

 

            Considering the fact that, to the public, Kara was supposed to be secretly dating Lena, even if she was really _fake_ dating Lena but keeping it secret for the time being, Kara walked over to the royal family of Thorul first. King Alexander gave her a warm smile, dipping his head as he held out a hand to Kara. She took it and Lex kissed her on both cheeks, before putting a hand on Lena’s shoulder. “Your Majesty,” he greeted her, “I’m so sorry for your loss.”

 

            “Your Majesty,” Kara greeted him in return, “thank you for being here.”

 

            “Not at all,” Lex said, waving away her thanks, before he leant in and replied quietly, “I hear that we’re to be siblings in the future anyway.”

 

            Trying to keep her polite smile in place, Kara nodded, her eyes darting to Lena, who stood stiffly beside her, their hands still joined. After quickly greeting Lillian, who looked at the joined hands with satisfaction, Kara excused herself and Lena to go and greet the next closest guest, leaving her family to make small talk with the Luthor family as they followed Kara’s lead. She greeted the king and queen of Daxam next, smiling as Lar Gand and Rhea excused their son’s absence, and presented their niece to Kara, who in turn, introduced them to Lena, even though they were already acquainted.

 

            It was almost an hour later when everyone was in their assigned pews, with Lena being ushered into the front row alongside Kara’s family. It wouldn’t go unnoticed by anyone present – everything in their world was done with precision and planning - and having someone who wasn’t family standing in the same row, beside the new queen, would raise a lot of questions. It would be good for them, considering the fact that it had been almost a month now and there were still no signs of this ending soon, and it would make the coy game that the two girls were planning on playing even more believable.

 

            The service passed by quickly, but Kara didn’t hear a word that the Archbishop spoke, and she was just stared blankly ahead, standing when Alex and Lena dragged her to her feet, and sitting when they pushed her back down. After the brief service, Kara led the procession to the main hall of the cathedral, where the four coffins were evenly placed side by side in the middle. Kara couldn’t take her eyes off the dark wooden coffins, all four of them draped with the royal standard and big arrangements of red, blue and yellow flowers placed on top of each one. As was the custom in a state funeral, they were to lay there for three days, while the public were permitted to pay their respects under the guard of Krypton’s household guards, in their perfectly tailored uniforms of red and blue, as they stood to attention.

 

            She didn’t linger long there – only as long as necessary – and as soon as was acceptable, Kara made to leave, with her family in tow. Lena came too, and Kara figured that it was just to be free of the tedious talk of how sad the whole affair was. They would have to put themselves through it all again at the palace, when everyone came back for a light afternoon tea and mingled. The real funeral service would be held in three day’s time, when the coffins were transported to El Castle – the ancestral home of Kara’s family, and where all royal family members were laid to rest – and put in St. Rao’s Chapel on the castle grounds.

 

            The trip back to the castle was in tense silence, and Kara made her way straight up to her quarters, asking Alex to make her excuses for her once everyone else returned to the castle. Today had been bad enough, and she just wanted to be alone, not stood around making polite talk with people she’d spoken to twice in her life and who couldn’t understand what she was going through at all. She didn’t want to have to pretend to be in love with Lena right now either. The main service after the actual funeral would be bad enough, and there would be no escaping that, so Kara thought she deserved to have tonight to herself to mourn the loss of her family alone. Stripping off her black clothes, Kara pulled on her pyjamas and climbed into bed, pulling the covers and pillows over her head as she drowned out everything. She didn’t move for the rest of the day.

 

\---

 

            Three days later, once the staying was over and thousands of people had paid their respects, Kara found herself following behind the coffins, followed by the rest of her family and then a significant number of foreign representatives. Several military contingents, as well as state officials, the royal household and palace staff, accompanied them too as they slowly made the royal’s final trip to their resting place. They were making their way to the train station, where they would be taken to El Castle and reconvene there to continue the procession, as was the custom. Kara wasn’t wearing black today – she was wearing her royal blue military uniform, and the deep blue was a welcome change from the dreary black that she’d been wearing every day for the past month – and she walked along at the head of the procession with her chin raised and her face a blank mask as she tried to hold back her tears. It didn’t matter that she had never been overly close to her royal family – choosing her adoptive family and her mother’s sister over the cold distance of her father’s family – but she had still loved them despite it. Her Uncle Jor-El had taken her on hunts – even thought Kara would never partake in the actual hunting – and her aunt had taken her to the ballet and opera, and Kal … she would miss him the most. He was a lot older than she was, but he had treated her like his little sister whenever they were together, taking her out for meals and on one of his yachts at the seaside estate, accompanying her to small royal events that didn’t warrant the king, and sending her books he thought she’d like. Yes, she would miss him most of all.

 

            They reached the train soon enough, and Kara was left in her own carriage to distract herself. She spent the whole time sketching the view outside her window, trying to distract herself from her thoughts as the city gave way to the countryside. It took them an hour on the train to reach El Castle, and the procession continued, down the long walk and through the castle gates. It was a beautiful sprawling castle, and Kara had visited a few times over the past few years, attending important services at the chapel and vacationing there on the occasional weekend when she wasn’t at university. She liked to be out in the countryside, and the rolling hills around the castle were beautiful for early morning walks and picnics in the summer. She made a mental note to bring Lena there at some point – it would make for a romantic weekend to fuel their story.

 

            Once inside the castle walls, the procession made for the chapel, and Kara soon found herself stood in the front pew once more. She numbly listened to the service again, and normal funeral processions ensued. It was all over quickly, and Kara found it hard to breathe once it was over – they were all _really_ gone. They wasted no time returning to the train for the ride back to Sunstone Palace in Argo City, and there, Kara was whisked away from the flashing cameras and shouting reporters outside the gates, quickly followed by the other invited guests. Kara led the way to the ballroom, where the large spacious room offered enough room for everyone to mill around and talk, while enjoying the selection of foods spread out for them. As soon as Kara walked into the room, the royal household guards lining the walls at intervals, and the servers holding trays of champagne, bowed in unison, and Kara stood off to the left of the door. As each person walked in, she greeted them and thanked them for coming, acknowledging the slight bows and curtsies with polite smiles, before they moved on and the next person entered. She was joined by Alex and Astra, who stood behind her, and Maggie stood further back, eyes darting around the room as she took her duties very carefully.

 

            Once the last person had been greeted, Kara exhaled slowly, fiddling with the medals pinned to the chest of her blue coat and the red sash that crossed from her left shoulder down to her right hip. She needed a drink. Turning around, she made for the nearest server, plucking a flute of champagne off the tray and draining it instantly, putting the glass down and picking up another one. As she raised it to her lips, Alex’s hand gently stopped her, and Kara blinked at her in surprise, taking in the concern filled eyes.

 

            “I’ll fetch you as much alcohol as I can later on, but you can’t afford to get drunk at the service for your _own_ family,” Alex softly told her. “Take it easy, and keep it together for a few more hours. There’s too many eyes here.”

 

            Kara breathlessly laughed, closing her eyes for a moment before she met Alex’s gaze, “you’re right. I won’t fall apart – I promise. Now, go and mingle … everything you do now reflects upon me.”

 

            “Your Majesty-“ Astra started to protest.

 

            “I’ll be fine, Aunt Astra,” Kara said, giving her a small smile, “besides, I need to go and find my _girlfriend_.”

 

            Biting their tongues, Alex and Astra nodded to Kara, giving her reassuring smiles as she walked off with Maggie close behind her. Plucking another glass of champagne off a tray, Kara scanned the room for Lena, finding her standing in the far corner, staring up at a large painting lit up by the sun shining in through one of the massive arched windows.

 

            “Here,” Kara muttered, handing out a glass of champagne to Lena, who took it with a small thank you. They stood shoulder to shoulder for a few moments, before Kara gently pressed her hand against Lena’s lower back, feeling her jump and tense slightly at the touch. “Relax,” Kara hissed through her teeth, and Lena’s shoulders slowly dropped as the tension bled out of them.

 

            “This is a Hayter painting,” Lena said, gesturing with her champagne flute to the large portrait hanging on the wall. At the look of confusion on Kara’s face, Lena rolled her eyes slightly, “he was an English painter about two hundred years ago. He painted a lot for the British royal family.”

 

            “Ah, that’ll be the art degree then?” Kara asked, a small smile on her lips.

 

            Lena nodded, her eyes roaming over the painting, “yes. You don’t sound like you approve.”

 

            “You’ll just tell me it’s none of my business anyway,” Kara muttered, “ _but_ it’s hardly useful in our lives.”

 

 _“Exactly!”_ Lena quietly exclaimed, smiling as she took a sip of champagne, “and it infuriates my mother to no end. Now you – you have a political science degree, and you probably play piano and took ballet lessons, right?” Kara nodded at the arched eyebrow Lena gave her. “I thought so. You’re the perfect example of everything a princess _should_ be, and I wouldn’t let my mom turn me into that. Hence the purple hair at boarding school. She can’t even be angry though, because archery, fencing and polo are respectable pastimes for a noble … she just doesn’t think they’re fitting for a princess. She couldn’t object to me choosing to learn Latin either, because it’s the root of many words, even if it’s a dead language. She also can’t control which charities I donate my money to, or which social and political rallies and protests I attend. It annoys her to no end that she can’t control me and mould me into this perfect princess … like you.”

 

            Kara let out a surprised laugh, “do you do _everything_ out of spite?”

 

 _“Everything_ ,” Lena firmly replied, a glint in her eyes as she looked at Kara, “which is why I’m bitter than just this once, she has the upper hand. With this contract, if she says jump I have to ask how high, or risk losing everything. It doesn’t mean that I can’t do it in my own way though, so that’s _something_.”

 

            “Care to share?”

 

            Smiling, Lena shrugged, leaning in closer, “maybe another day. I don’t think this is the right place to discuss how we’re going to trick everyone into thinking we’re in love.”

 

            Kara reached up and pretended to brush a piece of lint off the shoulder of Lena’s black dress, “well, I think we’re doing well enough for now.”

 

            “Mm, but for _now_ , we’re pretending that we’re badly pretending to _not_ be in love – or as I like to call it, being _honest_ – so when we have to _actually_ pretend, then we’ll be in trouble.”

 

            “What’re you two whispering about,” a voice behind them said, and both girls whirled around, Kara’s heart pounding in her chest. It was just Lucy, who Kara had only briefly been able to see earlier. “Your Majesty, Your Highness,” Lucy said, dipping into a curtsy.

 

            Kara gave her a small smile, “Lucy, hello. Sorry I haven’t had the chance to meet with you properly yet. Things have been …”

 

            “Not at all,” Lucy smiled at her, a look of pity on her face, “seeing Lois mourn for your cousin has been bad enough, I can’t imagine the grief you’re feeling at losing everyone. I’m truly sorry for your loss.”

 

            “Thank you,” Kara said, before realising that Lena was awkwardly stood off to the side. Kara gestured to her and gave Lucy a tight smile. “May I formally introduce you to Princess Lena of Thorul.”

 

            Lucy repeated the respectful greeting she had a moment before, and Lena dipped her head in acknowledgement. “I assure you that I am doing everything in my power to find a way out of this _situation_.”

 

            “I appreciate it,” Lena replied, taking a sip of her champagne as she gave Lucy a cool look.

 

            “Your Majesty,” another voice said, as a hand came down on Lucy’s shoulder and a kissed was placed to her temple. “Darling.”

 

            Kara gave the tall man a smile, “James. May I introduce you to Princess Lena of Thorul.” He gave her a slight bow, and Lena acknowledged it with another nod. “She is my, ah, girlfriend.”

 

            His eyes widened in surprise, speechless as he looked at the two of them, “ _girlfriend?_ This is new. I had no idea you were even seeing someone – you didn’t mention it when I was in town last month for some business.”

 

            Giving him an apologetic smile, Kara shrugged slightly, “well, you know how the media is. No one really knows at the moment, but I’m sure the story will be everywhere soon. What with all of … _this_.”

 

            He gave her a sympathetic smile, reaching out to give her shoulder a gentle squeeze. “I’m sorry for your loss. I loved your cousin very much.”

 

            “Thank you, James,” Kara said.

 

            “I’m glad that you’ve found someone though. Winn will be shocked, that’s for sure. I’m assuming you haven’t told him either?”

 

            Lena smiled slightly, tilting her head to the side, as she put a hand on Kara’s back, “my apologies. I prefer to keep my relationships on the quiet side, and given the nature of our families, well … I didn’t want to risk messing everything up. Kara was quite a darling and agreed to keep it a secret for me, so only our families know at the moment. Of course, I wouldn’t dream of staying away from her with all of this tragedy going on right now, so I think the story will be coming out soon.” Kara took a drink to stop herself from laughing as Lena called her darling, and span the whole thing into some secret love affair that painted them as a caring and loving couple.

 

            “No need to apologise,” James said, flashing her a wide smile, looking genuinely happy for them both, “I’m relieved to know that Kara has someone else to help support her through this difficult time. So, how long have you been seeing each other?”

 

            “It's coming up to six months now, isn’t that right, love?” Lena asked, turning to give Kara a forced, sweet smile. Her eyes crinkled at the corners, as if she was happy, but there was no warmth in them as Kara met her stare. She wrinkled her nose as she returned the smile.

 

            “Mhm.”

 

            Lucy bit back a smile at the whole show that the two girls were putting on, while James really seemed surprised by the whole thing. She was legally bound not to disclose any personal information with anyone, and so he had no idea that they were fake dating and he hadn’t known that they were fake secretly dating either. Winn joined them not long after, seeing his friends all gathered in the corner, and he was just as surprised as James was and Lucy pretended to be. With a promise off them all that they wouldn’t tell a soul, Kara had to excuse herself to mingle with other guests, so as not to seem rude, and Lena accompanied her with Hector and Maggie in tow.

 

\---

 

            As soon as she could secretly slip away, Kara left the ballroom and hurried through the hallways and up the main staircase. She was tired and upset, and she just wanted to go to sleep. Today had been exhausting and she was tired of keeping a small smile in place and pretending that she was handling it all well. Things had gone well with Lena over the past couple of days, and she was grateful that Lena was walking around on eggshells – if only to spare Kara the extra stress right now – but was already dreading how things would go once everything settled down.

 

            Inside her rooms, with Maggie standing guard outside, Kara stripped off her military uniform and left a trail of clothes to her bedroom. Slipping on a pair of pale pink pyjamas, feeling more like herself without the black or the uniforms, Kara walked into the bathroom and started to wipe off her makeup. Beneath it all, she was pale and her face was drawn, her eyes hollow and ringed by dark bags. As she stared at herself in the mirror, she started to break down. All of her suppressed grief came to the surface, and tears ran down her cheeks as her shoulders shook with sobs.

 

            She walked back out to the sofa in the living room, and she curled herself up into a ball, crying until she couldn’t cry anymore, and then she sat there a little while longer, clutching a pillow to her chest as she shuddered with the occasional broken sob. It wasn’t until a knock on the door that she moved, turning her head to look at the white and gold gilt door. She didn’t want to answer it, but then the knock came again, louder this time and more urgent.

 

            With a sigh she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Come in.”

 

            The door was pushed open, and Lena poked her head in, taking in the sight of Kara sitting on the sofa. She was angled away from Lena, so that she could only see the side of Kara's face, and she didn’t look up as Lena opened the door up wider and stepped inside.

 

            “I don’t want to disturb you,” Lena murmured, “I just came to see if you need anything.”

 

            Kara let out a tearful laugh, “you don’t have to be nice to me.”

 

            “I know,” Lena softly said, “I’m not being nice. I was going to get someone else to do it for you if you did.”

 

            Kara let out another laugh, choking on it as a sob wracked her body. “That’s more like it.”

 

            Sighing, Lena shut the door behind her and hesitantly crossed the room. Kara didn’t look up at her, but she blinked in surprise as a teacup and saucer was placed down on the low coffee table in front of her. She sniffed, trying to subtly wipe at her eyes, while Lena awkwardly stood nearby, even though it was obvious that she had been crying.

 

            “Thank you.”

 

            “I, uh, I heard that holding a cup of tea, um, mimics the warmth of human contact. I thought it might … help.”

 

            Kara burst out laughing, looking up at Lena with an amused look on her face. Lena looked taken aback by the outburst, and the red, puffy eyes, and a small crease appeared between her eyebrows. “You thought that the warmth of human contact would help, so you brought me a cup of tea instead of a _real_ person?”

 

            The crease disappeared, and Lena let out a quiet laugh as she smiled at Kara. “Well, we both know I’m not exactly the comforting type, so I thought this would be a good alternative. I can fetch your sister for you if you’d like.”

 

            Reaching out, Kara picked up the tea and help it in her hands. Perhaps Lena was right, because as the warmth spread into her hands, she did feel a little bit better. With a sigh, Lena sat down on the sofa at an adjacent angle, balling her hands into fists as she hunched her shoulders. “Listen, Kara … I’m not a nice person. I’m not warm, or kind or compassionate. I _am_ sorry that you have to go through this, and I’ll try my hardest to be as civil as possible, but, uh, well, I’m not bloody good at ...  _this_.” She gestured at a tearful Kara.

 

            “Don’t worry, I don’t want your pity,” Kara muttered, taking a sip of the tea, “and I don’t expect you to be the caring girlfriend. Not even in front of the cameras. Just … we’ll have to pretend that we’re in love though, so can you at least try that?”

 

            “I tried it today, and the other day,” Lena said.

 

            “Yeah, and how’s that been working out for you,” Kara snorted.

 

            There were two little biscuits on the saucer too, and she picked one up and gave it to Lena, who murmured her thanks. Kara looked at her expectantly, and Lena shrugged half-heartedly. “It is what it is. Either way, we have to give it a try. It wasn’t the _worst_ thing in the world, but it wasn’t exactly what I’d like to be doing in my spare time.”

 

            “Mm, I’d hardly call it spare time,” Kara murmured, “it’s more like a job.”

 

            Lena snorted, taking a bite out of her biscuit, “pretending to be in love is a job?”

 

            Kara shrugged, “well actors do it all the time.”

 

            “For a few months maybe … we’re talking about a lifetime. Just wait until we have to kiss and act all lovey dovey in public. I’m sure you’ll be less impressed then than you are now.”

 

            Rolling her eyes, Kara gave Lena a grim smile. “Kiss me now.”

 

            _“What!?”_ Lena spluttered, leaning away from Kara slightly, as if she was afraid Kara was going to jump her. “Are you having a fucking laugh? I’m not going to bloody _kiss_ you.”

 

            “You’re right; we have to kiss at some point,” Kara shrugged, “may as well get it over and done with now so we know what to expect. At least then it’ll look more natural ... like we do it all the time. You know, like we’re a real couple. If our first kiss is in public, it'll be an awkward mess.”

 

            Frowning, Lena gave Kara a wary look, before she relented with a sigh. “Fine, but only because you’re miserable and I happen to know I’m an excellent kisser, so it might cheer you up a bit.”

 

            Letting out a laugh, Kara rolled her eyes and set her tea down. Taking a deep breath, she beckoned to Lena, “come on then, princess. I’ll be the judge of that, and besides … I can’t get _more_ miserable, can I?”

 

            Snorting with laughter, Lena shifted to the end of the sofa, and Kara shifted to the end of hers, and Lena half-rose off her seat to bridge the gap between them. Kara closed her eyes as Lena’s slightly cold hand cupped her cheek, and she was surprised at the gentleness, and even more surprised a moment later when Lena placed a soft kiss to Kara’s lips. It didn’t last long, and a few moments later, Lena drew back and fully rose to her feet.

 

            “Well?” she asked, arching an eyebrow at Kara as she looked down at her.

 

            “I’ve had better,” Kara lied, a small smile playing on the corners of her lips as she looked up at Lena. Her lips tingled slightly, and she reached out for the teacup as she willed herself not to blush. Lena let out a quiet laugh of surprise as she started walking towards the doors.

 

            “Liar.”


	6. Chapter 6

            Two weeks later, Kara felt herself pulling up to the hotel that Lena was staying in, a bouquet of flowers in hand and a grim look of determination on her face. There would be people waiting outside, hoping to catch sight of Lena leaving, but instead they were welcomed to the sight of Kara entering as Maggie turned the engine off and got out to open her door for her. Another five guards climbed out of the two cars that had accompanied them, and the retinue made their way towards the front door of the hotel as dozens of camera flashes went off and Maggie propelled Kara forward by her fingertips on her lower back.

 

            Inside the foyer of the hotel, Kara let out a small sigh, before arranging her features into a small smile. She watched as one of the guards walked to the front desk and inquired about Lena’s whereabouts, while the rest of the staff and hotel guests stared at her in shock. A moment later, Kara was being led down a hallway on the ground floor of the hotel, and two doors were being opened up to a long room where an impromptu stage had been set up. She blinked in surprise at the sight of two figures dressed in fencing gear, pushing each other back and forth across the stage.

 

            “Her Majesty, the Queen, Your Highness,” one of the men who had opened the door announced.

 

            One of the figures froze, the foil mid-air as they turned their masked head to look at Kara. They let out a sound of protest as the tip other person’s foil prodded them, “that doesn’t count!”

 

            “Well you shouldn’t have been distracted,” an unfamiliar voice said, muffled slightly by the mask.

 

            Lena lowered her foil and pulled her mask off, scowling at her opponent as they also took their mask off and gave Lena a curtsy. Turning to look back at Kara, Lena’s face softened into a blank look, realising that there were other people around and they had to play a part. This wasn’t how Kara intended her visit to go; she had assumed Lena would be alone. Instead, there was a dark haired woman with her, quickly curtsying to Kara as she wedged her mask under one arm.

 

            “Your Majesty,” she murmured, and Kara tilted her head to the side as she looked at her. She felt like she’d seen her before, but she wasn’t sure where. If Lena knew her, then she probably knew her too, but they ran in different circles, so she didn’t think they would’ve ever spoken.

 

            “Sorry to drop by unannounced, I didn’t realise you were busy,” Kara said to Lena, giving her an apologetic smile.

 

            Lena’s lips quirked up into a smile that didn’t reach her eyes as she jumped down off the edge of the raised platform, brushing her sweaty hair out of her face. “Not at all, _darling_. You know I love it when you stop by and surprise me,” Lena said, her words dripping with sarcasm that no one but Kara would be able to catch onto.

 

            “These are for you,” Kara said, holding out the flowers, and Lena raised an eyebrow at her as she took them, the question evident in her eyes.

 

            “They’re beautiful,” Lena said, sounding sincere, “thank you.”

 

            Kara waved away her gratitude, taking in the white jacket and breeches, and raising her eyebrows slightly. “Fun workout?”

 

            Lena rolled her eyes slightly, turning to glance at the woman behind her, “it would’ve been better if I’d _won_ , so thank you for that. I was on a streak too.”

 

            “Don’t be a sore loser, Lena,” the girl laughed, flashing them both a smug smile, “you shouldn’t have let yourself be distracted.”

 

            Huffing, Lena turned back to Kara, giving her an exasperated look, “may I present Samantha Arias.”

 

            “Your Majesty,” she said, giving Kara another smile as she dipped into a curtsy, “please, call me Sam.”

 

            “Arias! Ah you’re the Countess of Korlon’s daughter,” Kara said, returning the smile, “I knew I recognised you, but I had no idea you were in Krypton.”

 

            Sam’s smile seemed a little forced as she looked at Kara, “I came to visit Lena. I have no one to fence with back in Thorul.”

 

            Kara laughed, turning to give Lena an accusing look as she pushed her glasses up her nose. “Lena said she didn’t have any friends.”

 

            “Lena doesn’t like to put a label on things. Besides, I’m only the adopted daughter of my mother, so there’s still a bit of a fuss about whether my company is suitable for the princess.”

 

            “I’m surprised Lena doesn’t parade it to the world then,” Kara said, an amused look on her face as Lena scowled at her, “she never likes to do what’s expected of her.”

 

            “You’ve got her pegged already,” Sam laughed.

 

            Sighing, Lena raised her eyebrows at the two girls, “if you’re both quite finished, I’d like to shower and get changed. Shall we have tea? Or do you have somewhere to be, Kara?”

 

            “Tea would be perfect,” Kara enthusiastically agreed, and Lena gestured for her to walk ahead, and they all fell into formation as they left the room. Cramming into the elevator, with all the bodyguards and security, they rode up to the penthouse, with Sam getting out the floor below to go to her own room, and Lena let Kara into her room. There were two apartments at the top of the hotel, and Lillian was staying in the other one, much to Lena’s irritation.

 

            Kara’s security detail did a quick sweep of Lena’s rooms before they let their queen inside, as a precaution, just in case someone had managed to sneak inside while no one was up there. As they walked into the lavishly furnished room, Lena placed the flowers in the jug of water standing next to a couple of crystal glasses, before dumping her fencing mask and foil and rounding on Kara.

 

            “So, why’re you here?”

 

            “Just making a public appearance,” Kara shrugged, watching as Lena started peeling off her gloves. She didn’t look too pleased to see Kara here.

 

            “You could’ve called.”

 

            “You would’ve told me not to come.”

 

            Snorting, Lena threw her white fencing jacket over the back of one of the dining chairs, folding her arms over her chest as she stared at Kara. “You wouldn’t have listened.”

 

            “Maybe,” Kara shrugged, “anyway, I wanted to talk about the newspaper.”

 

            “I didn’t have time to read it this morning,” Lena said.

 

            “Oh, well, um, they’re already talking about _us_ , so it’s a good sign,” Kara said, crossing the room to pick up the folded newspaper where it had been left for Lena that morning, to read over breakfast. She unfolded it and held up the front page for Lena so that she could see the photo of them holding hands outside the cathedral at Kara’s family’s funeral, and above it there was a heading in bold reading _‘Royal Romance’_. Lena took the newspaper off Kara, flipping to the right page and skimming through the article as her eyes flit over the words. Once she was done, she closed it and tossed it onto the table.

 

            “Well, that’s that then,” she grimly replied, resigning herself to the fact that they were well and truly into this game now.

 

            “I thought we could talk about what comes next,” Kara said, giving Lena an apologetic smile as she continued, “I didn’t realise you would have a guest.”

 

            Shrugging, Lena kicked off her boots, “it’s fine. We’ll just have to be quick about it. I’ve filled Sam in on our _relationship_ , so we’ve been dating for six months, but now it’s a serious relationship. She was at Wimbledon with me, so she won’t be suspicious at our cover story, and she knows what I’m like as a person, so she won’t question why I didn’t tell her. If she does ask though, can you try and side with me so she doesn’t think it was just me hiding it from everyone?”

 

            “Of course,” Kara quickly agreed, “anything else?”

 

            “Thanks for the flowers.”

 

            Laughing, Kara gave Lena a hesitant smile, “you’re welcome. Now, you should shower quickly before everyone gets the wrong idea.”

 

            Letting out a sharp laugh, Lena turned and made for the doors to the master bedroom, “now wouldn’t that get them all talking.”

 

\---

 

            An hour later, Kara found herself drinking tea and enjoying a lemon tart as she listened to Lena grumble at the lack of scones that they served in Krypton.

 

            “Sorry to break it to you, but you’re not in Ireland,” Kara said, a look of amusement on her face as Lena sulked.

 

            “Scotland,” she replied, “scones are originally Scottish, but Queen Elizabeth has delicious ones at her tea parties.”

 

            “Excuse me – we’re not in _Scotland_ ,” Kara amended, and Sam let out snort of laughter.

 

            Her eyes darted from Kara to Lena as she unsuccessfully tried to bite back a smile. Lena turned to give her friend a questioning look, her eyebrows raised slightly and her mouth in an unimpressed grimace. “Sorry, it’s just … I’m glad someone isn’t putting up with your shit,” Sam laughed, and Kara joined in, her eyes crinkling at the corners as she looked at the other woman.

 

            Eyebrows furrowing into a look of irritation, Lena took a bite out of a shortbread biscuit. “Only because she outranks me now, so she doesn’t _have_ to listen to me be a complete and utter cow all the time, unlike you.”

 

            “I mean, I don’t _have_ to,” Sam shrugged, “I just mostly ignore you when you’re being all broody and mysterious.”

 

            “That makes two of us,” Kara interjected, and Lena spluttered as she gave Kara a dirty look. Smiling sweetly at her, Kara laughed, “only joking, sweetheart.”

 

            “You know, I’m kind of annoyed you didn’t tell me, but this makes sense somehow,” Sam said, looking at Lena with a thoughtful expression on her face.

 

            “Oh?”

 

            “You both seem … well matched,” Sam said, and Kara had to stop herself from bursting into laughter. If there was one thing her and Lena weren’t, it was well matched for one another. They weren’t exactly opposites, for they had a few similar qualities, like their stubbornness and their strong will, but they weren’t similar either. They both just existed in very different spheres, and their lives barely collided outside of a few of the same social engagements, which was why Kara had never run into Sam before. The two of them being a good match was laughable.

 

            Smiling, Kara reached out to lay a hand on Lena’s arm for just a moment, “well we certainly make it interesting for each other, don’t we?”

 

            “Always, darling,” Lena said, giving her a tight smile.

 

            “So, now that the cat’s out of the bag, will you be accompanying Lena to Veronica Sinclair’s party next month?”

 

            Kara grimaced slightly, “sadly, I’ll be on my coronation tour, so I won’t be able to make it. I’m devastated though, I was looking forward to finally meeting some more of Lena’s – what do you call them, honey? Acquaintances.” Smiling as Lena gave her an unimpressed look, Kara continued on with the lie – she hadn’t even heard of this party, “perhaps the next party though. Once things have cooled down with the media as well. They’ll be having a field day if we’re not careful.”

 

            “The pissing papers and news are already proof enough that we’ve slipped up,” Lena sighed, “ _but_ , I would rather them snap a thousand photos of us than let you go through that alone.”

 

            “Are you melting, ice princess?” Sam teased her, and Lena rolled her eyes.

 

            Scoffing, Lena picked up her tea, taking a sip and leaving a red half moon lipstick stain on the rim. Kara looked at the perfect pout of Lena’s lips, and the prominent cheekbones beneath intense green eyes and a heavy brow. With a start, she realised that Lena was beautiful. It seemed odd to realise it now, when they had been faking this for six weeks now, and Kara had known her for years before that. She knew what Lena looked like – she knew what she was like too – but Lena had been too busy being snarky for her to appreciate the softness of the girl’s face when she wasn’t scowling.

 

            “Melting? I don’t fucking think so.”

 

            “Mm, I’m inclined to agree,” Kara said with a lopsided smile, “but don’t worry, my sunny personality will rub off on you eventually.”

 

            “I’d like to see you try,” Lena said, a slight challenge in her tone.

 

            Kara hesitated, her eyebrows shooting up in surprise, “was that a challenge? I’ll have you know that if there was nothing holding us back, I would blow your mind with how romantic and over the top I can be.”

 

            “Please, I think I’ve already had to bloody suffer enough as it is,” Lena quipped, playing it off as a joke, even though Kara could see some truth in her eyes, “I don’t think I could take anymore.”

 

            “And here I thought you _loved_ how annoying I am.”

 

            Lena raised her eyebrows slightly, taking a sip of tea as she lazily shrugged, “perhaps.”

 

\---

 

            She was sat in Lena’s hotel room, her elbows on her knees tightly as she leant forward slightly. A nudge on her shoulder caught her attention and she looked up to see Lena holding out a tumbler half filled with an amber liquid. “Here.”

 

            “It’s only a little after midday,” Kara said, her eyebrows rising slightly.

 

            Sighing, Lena rolled her eyes, “yes, and we just had to spend three fucking hours faking it in front of one of my only friends. I think a drink is in order, because I, for one, am _exhausted_.”

 

            Taking the glass with a muttered thanks, Kara took a sip of the whisky, feeling it burn slightly as she savoured the taste on her tongue. She didn’t like it, but she still drained the glass, because Lena was right. Something about lying and pretending in front of people who knew personal things about them just didn’t sit well with Kara, and it had been tiring to have to play along with the charade. Alex and Lucy knew, but James and Winn were her two other best friends, and she’d have to pretend in front of them for the rest of her life. Pretending to dote on Lena, and gaze lovingly at her, even when her moodiness and sarcasm got on Kara’s nerves. Amazingly enough, she had been mostly civil during their tea with Sam, and even when she was snarky or sarcastic, one of them always played it off as part of Lena's  _charming_ personality. Still, there was always an underlying tone of dissatisfaction and annoyance with everything they said about their relationship, as if they were having a second, subtle conversation beneath the first one, just between the two of them to let them know how irritated they were. It didn't make for a very fun morning.

 

            “This is going to be harder than I thought,” Kara gloomily muttered.

 

            A bottle was nudged in her direction, and she picked it up off the coffee table, refilling her glass and taking another sip. Lena sighed, tipping her glass and draining her drink, “if we don’t fuck it up, we might just survive.”


	7. Chapter 7

            Kara was sitting at her desk, a fountain pen poised between her fingers as she hesitated, the nib hovering above the fresh sheet of stationary paper. With a slight smile, she lowered the pen and began to write, leaving elegant swirls of black ink on the page.

 

            _Pretend I just said something sickeningly sweet – the way I know you hate it – and try and act all bashful. Now laugh – I’m actually quite funny you know – and smile a little, if it won’t hurt your face. Play it coy – I know you’re good at that – and don’t show anyone this._

_I hope these will put you in a better mood for when I see you tomorrow. Sadly, they’re not Scottish, but they are fresh from Queen Elizabeth’s own chef … so technically they’re straight from one of her tea parties._

_-K_

 

Sealing the letter in an envelope, and scrawling Lena’s name on the front, Kara climbed to her feet and and picked up the white box containing four perfectly baked scones. She assumed that Lena could find her own jam and cream for them, so she summoned her personal assistant, Lyra, to her quarters and presented her with the box.

 

            “Please see that this reaches Princess Lena,” Kara said, and the other woman dipped into a curtsy as she took the box off Kara.

 

            “Of course, Your Majesty,” Lyra assured her, “will you be needed anything else, ma’am?”

 

            “No, that’ll be all. Thanks you, Lyra,” Kara said, dismissing her and turning back to the stack of plans about her coronation that Astra had dropped off for her this morning. They seemed endless, and in the end, Kara called Alex and asked for her to come to her quarters and help.

 

            They sat around drinking tea and debating over the finer details of the coronation; who would sit next to who, whether they should have salmon mousse or shrimp quiches for the entrées. There were so many questions, and Kara just wished the day would come and go already before she was sick from all the worrying. It didn’t help that she would have to spend the whole night pretending like she was badly pretending that she _wasn’t_ dating Lena, because there would be eyes and ears everywhere. It was a week until the big day, and Lena was coming to the palace for tea while they discussed how they were going to present themselves on the day. Every little detail mattered, and if one of them cringed away from the other’s touch, it would be telling.

 

            Her phone buzzed, and Kara looked down at the screen, a slight smile curling her lips as she looked down at the message. It was off Lena.

 

            _Thank you._

 

            Kara let out a snort of laughter, looking down at the watch on her wrist. She had sent Lyra off with the scones almost two hours ago, and Lena was staying fifteen minutes away from Sunstone Palace, and Kara could almost picture the dark haired girl pacing back forth for an hour and a half as she tried to think of what to message Kara. She wondered how much Lena hated sending her those two words

 

            Setting her phone back down, Kara looked up, meeting Alex’s questioning gaze. “It’s Lena.”

 

            “Oh … and how is everything going with that?” Alex asked. Kara had spent hours ranting to her sister about Lena over the past two months, but they’d never really had a proper conversation about how things were progressing.

 

            Kara sighed, flopping back against the pillows on the sofa, running a hand over her weary face. “Things are … I don’t know. She fights me at every turn, and she’s so stubborn.”

 

            “So you’ve said,” Alex dryly replied, giving her sister a smile, “but how are things actually going?”

 

            “She’s told one of her friends, which I think was a big thing for her, so I feel like she’s trying a little bit at least. It makes things easier, I guess. Then there’s the whole pretending side of things, and I know she’s trying but she always has a face like a slapped ass and like, who’s going to believe we’re in love if she can barely muster up the energy to _smile_ at me. Let alone the list of things she gave me that I’m not allowed to do when we have to be affectionate. I just don’t see it working.”

 

            “Perhaps they would’ve been better off with a more traditional sense of an arranged marriage, rather than a fake dating thing,” Alex said, grimacing slightly.

 

            Kara scowled as she crossed her arms over her chest, sulking in the corner of the sofa. “Well then that would’ve ruined my parents whole plan to help make us more popular. Everyone likes a good fairtytale where the princess marries the prince and they live happily ever after.”

 

            “You’re not a fucking Disney princess,” Alex snorted, reaching for a biscuit and skimming over the page in her lap. “Do you think the Prince of Denmark will get along with Sir J’onn J’onzz? He serves in his homeland’s military, so I think having him next to the Chief of the General Staff will be seen as an honour.”

 

            “Mm, good point,” Kara agreed, and Alex raised her eyebrows.

 

            “Which one?”

 

            Laughing, Kara reached for her tea, “both. Do you think we should have roast quail or foie gras for the main? We’ve already got the the lobster. I think that maybe with the salmon mousse and caviar, it’ll be too much seafood, but I don’t know if I want to get rid of the lobster for both of these dishes.”

 

            “Just pick whatever.”

 

            “That’s _so_ helpful,” Kara huffed.

 

            Alex laughed, raising her eyebrows as she looked at Kara with amusement, “well why don’t you ask your _girlfriend_ then.”

 

            Stubbornly raising her chin, Kara reached out for her phone, “maybe I will.”

 

            She hesitated as she unlocked her phone and stared down at Lena’s name in her contacts. They weren’t really on casual talking terms, and hadn’t called each other for trivial things yet. It was hard enough to have a civil conversation when they were planning their relationship, never mind asking for Lena’s opinion on which dishes she should serve at her coronation. Alex was looking at her though, with a smug look on her face and a challenge in her eyes, as if she was daring Kara to do it because she knew she didn’t have the guts. Pressing the phone, Kara held it up to her ears.

 

            _“Yes?”_

“Do you _always_ answer the phone like that?” Kara blurted out at the sound of Lena’s snarky tone.

 

            _“Only when I don’t have to be polite.”_

Kara let out a snort of laughter, “right, well, um, I was wondering if you could help me with something.”

 

            _“Is it about our … relationship?”_

“Well … no,” Kara hedged, feeling like she was walking on eggshells as she waited for Lena’s reply.

 

            _“Well it’s not my concern then.”_

 

            Sighing, Kara pushed her glasses up her nose, “it won’t take long, it’s just about the menu for the coronation. Please.”

 

            There was a slight pause, and Kara’s teeth worried at her lip as she anxiously awaited Lena’s reply. She wasn’t holding out much hope that Lena would agree to help, because like she’d said, it didn’t concern her. _“Fine, but hurry up. I’m supposed to be going out for lunch with Sam.”_

“Thank you,” Kara said, letting out a sigh of relief, “um, so for the entrée I’ve got salmon mousse, caviar and shrimp quiche … I think it might be too much seafood though, because they put lobster on the menu for the main, but I don’t know whether I should tell them to take it off and just have the foie gras and quail.”

 

            _“You do realise I’m a vegetarian right?”_ Lena replied, and then after a moment’s hesitation, she sighed before replying, _“keep the lobster and the quail – nobody likes foie gras, they’re just pretending because it’s expensive. Get rid of the shrimp quiche and have something that actually sounds appetizing, like soup, or prosciutto and mozzarella bruschetta.”_

“Okay, yeah, that sounds good,” Kara agreed, “thank you.”

 

            _“Anything else?”_

 

            Kara laughed at Lena’s brusque tone, “no, that’s it. Thank you.”

 

            The line went dead a moment later, and Kara started scribbling down on the menu that had been given to her for her approval. She’d have to let the head chef know about the changes straight away so that changes could be made in time for next week. She’d already picked desserts – one of them being a strawberry cheesecake, in the off chance that Lena’s favourite dessert might improve her mood – and she’d approved the list of dietary alternatives for the few guests who wouldn’t eat that main menu, including Lena's request for stuffed mushrooms.

 

            Setting down her pen and reaching for her tea, Kara sighed, glancing up at meeting Alex’s gaze. “What?

 

            “Nothing, I just didn’t think you’d _actually_ call her.”

 

            Rolling her eyes, Kara took a sip of tea and shuffled the stack of papers before her. “I’m not _scared_ of her. She’s just … I don’t know, she ticks me off sometimes, and she _knows_ she does it too. She _loves_ antagonising me, which makes it even more frustrating. I’m going to be bald by the time I’m thirty at this rate.”

 

            “Hey, just a quick question … does the contract say anything about you being allowed a divorce?”

 

            Grimacing, Kara shook her head. “No, no divorce is allowed. We’re to get engaged in a year and a half, married two years after that, and then a year after that, we have to have an heir. No divorces allowed, no affairs allowed, no … anything.”

 

            “Fuck, they really thought of everything, didn’t they,” she said.

 

            “Mm, apparently,” Kara stiffly replied, feeling her anger at her parents bubble up again. It was still hard for her to believe that her parents could do something like that to her, and sometimes she doubted whether she really knew her parents at all. They were always busy, and she never begrudged them their duties, even though it meant that she didn’t get to spend as much time with them as normal children did. She’d been shipped off to boarding school as soon as she’d turned nine – thankfully Alex was at the same boarding school as her, and they’d been sent the same year, so she had one friend at least – so Kara had never felt especially close to her parents. She still loved them, and knew that they loved her, but she felt like the image of them that she’d conjured up in her head was completely different to who the really were. The parents in her mind, who would take her to Paris for the weekend so that she could visit the Louvre, or take her out riding until she could sit a horse well … they weren’t the same people who would barter their daughter off for some popularity. Apparently they were though.

 

\---

 

            “Can we at least do something _fun_?” Lena grumbled as soon as Kara had let her into her rooms. Straight off the bat, Kara knew that Lena wasn’t going to be very tolerant of whatever they discussed about the coronation, and she bit back a sigh as she climbed to her feet.

 

            “Like what?”

 

            “I don’t know,” Lena shrugged, “what do you do for fun?”

 

            Kara shrugged in reply, hesitating as she frowned slightly. “I don’t know, I, um, I usually read, or play piano … I love to sketch. Mostly I’m just busy with my doctorate, but that’s kind of been playing second fiddle for the past couple of months since … yeah, so, um, whatever you want to do.”

 

            “ _That’s_ what you do to have fun? That’s not fun, that’s utterly _boring!_ You have all the wealth and privilege you could ever want, and you just sit inside and twiddle your thumbs? Fuck me.”

 

            “Not until we’re married,” Kara quipped, and then her words dawned on her and Lena’s head snapped around to lock onto her eyes. They both stared at each other, eyes wide and mouths open.

 

            “No … surely they wouldn’t,” Lena choked out, her face a mask of horror.

 

            Kara scrambled for her phone, quickly dialling Lucy’s number and anxiously bouncing her leg as she waited for her to pick up. She could feel Lena’s eyes watching every movement, and she knew that she should try and keep her emotions in check, but she was sick with the thought that their parents would _actually_ put something like that in the contract.

 

            _“Your Majesty,”_ Lucy greeted her.

 

            “Are you alone?” Kara asked, cutting to the chase in her hurry.

 

            _“Yes. What is it?”_

 

            Kara opened and closed her mouth, struggling to find the words, “I, uh, well, I, um, the contract … we- we don’t … ah, is there, a, um-“

 

            The phone was pulled out of her hands by Lena, who let out a a huff of frustration as she gave Kara an exasperated look. With a look of worry on her face, Kara watched as Lena pressed her phone to her ear, her eyes drilling into Kara’s. “Is there a clause that says we have to have sex to make our marriage valid? You know, considering we’re doing this the good old bloody fashioned way with an arranged marriage,” Lena said in a clipped tone, the hard set to her face showing her anger at the thought. Her expression didn’t waver at all as she thanked Lucy and hung up. “Congratulations, our parents aren’t as fucking shitty as we suspected.”

 

            “This isn’t _funny,_ Lena,” Kara said, her frown deepening as a wave of relief washed over her, “I feel sick for even _thinking_ that my parents would do something like that. They could’ve – they’ve signed away our entire lives, and they could’ve easily wrote _that_ in too. I don’t want to think of my parents as being like that.” Kara closed her eyes and turned away from Lena as she swallowed the lump in her throat.

 

            Lena sighed, tossing Kara’s phone onto the sofa and flopping down beside her, making sure not to crease the crisply ironed black shirt. “Yeah, well, I’ve learnt never to underestimate parents, that way why they’re not complete and utter bastards, you’re pleasantly surprised for once.”

 

            Kara shot her a look of irritation, “well just because you have shitty parents doesn’t mean that I did.”

 

            “No?” Lena said, arching an eyebrow at Kara as a smug smile played on the corners of her lips, and she leant forward, her face only a foot away from Kara's, “then how come you’re stuck here with me.”

 

            Climbing to her feet, Kara stalked off to her bedroom, slamming the door shut behind her and falling back against it. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and tried to calm herself down, but Lena was so good at getting under her skin that Kara couldn’t help but silently fume as she shut herself in her room. She cursed her parents in her head – they could’ve picked _anyone_ , but they’d picked Lena, and for all of her many qualities, she infuriated Kara to no end. Lena enjoyed messing with her too, which further irritated Kara, and it made it even worse because Kara was trying _so_ hard, and Lena just didn’t seem to care.

 

            “Shall I entertain myself then?” Lena’s muffled voice drifted through the door, and Kara grit her teeth in anger as she walked over to the armchair in the corner of her room. Curling up into a ball, Kara picked up the nearest book, flipping through it until she found a poem that she liked.

 

            For fifteen minutes, Kara stayed shut up inside her room, thumbing through the book and reading poem after poem, until there was a knock on the door. She heard a sigh on the other side, “can I come in?”

 

            Taking a deep breath, Kara slammed the book shut and climbed to her feet, straightening her skirt as she walked over to the doors and pulled them open. Lena arched an eyebrow at her, and Kara bit back a groan of frustration.

 

            “Are you done sulking?”

 

            “I wasn’t _sulking_ ,” Kara huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

 

            Lena’s eyebrows raised even higher, and she smiled slightly, “whatever you say, _Your Majesty_. I was out of order, and I apologise for hurting your feelings.”

 

            “You didn’t hurt my feelings,” Kara stiffly replied, brushing past Lena, who stepped back to avoid being touched. “You just- you’re insufferable and self-centred, and you don’t care about anyone other that yourself.”

 

            “Those are big assumptions to make, considering the fact that you don’t know me,” Lena coolly replied, “although, you could be onto something. I’m sure my mother would definitely agree with you, but then again, she thought marrying me off to you was a good idea, so I don’t think she’s one to listen to.” Kara just gave Lena a hard look, crossing her arms over her chest, and Lena let out a sigh. “Fine, I’ll try harder to not be an utter cow. I just don’t see why we have to try and be fake nice to each other.”

 

            “ _I’m_ not being fake nice – I _am_ nice,” Kara exclaimed, “it’s called being a decent person. You act as if I _want_ to be in this, when I’m in the exact same situation as you, as you so kindly pointed out. We need to stop bickering over silly things all the time, or we’ll never be able to get our shit together well enough to pretend in front of the cameras. What do you think’s going to happen? Do you think it’s going to be believable if you pull away from me in front of _everyone_ because you can’t stand the thought of the girl you’re supposed to dating _touching_ you?”

 

            “What do you _want_ from me? I held your hand the other week, and we’ve kissed – maybe not in public, but still - was that not enough of a demonstration to show that I’m _trying_? Or am I supposed to let you cop a feel in public to make it look like you fancy me?”

 

            “No! It’s _not_ enough,” Kara said, “get your shit together and start playing nice, or this isn’t going to work. We’ll both end up without our titles and our money, and I can guarantee you that you need it more than I do.”

 

            Lena scoffed as she walked towards the door, looking back over her shoulder when Kara didn’t follow after her, “well? Are you coming or not?”

 

            Sighing, Kara stalked over to her and they slipped outside into the hallway. Arranging her face into neutral mask, Kara set off down the hallway, and maybe because she felt bad, Lena followed a step behind her, as custom dictated, instead of beside her like they usually walked. Kara had no clue where Lena had intended them to go, but she made for the gardens, because the walls of the castle were almost suffocating, and the weather outside was warm. It would offer her some relief from the feeling that the walls were closing in on her, and as she stepped out into the sunshine, Kara let out a sigh of relief.

 

            The gardens were beautiful, with flowers of all shapes and colours bursting into bloom, and the perfectly trimmed trees and hedges added to the elegance of the whole appearance. Making her way through the rose bushes and fountains, Kara made for the lake, coming to a stop on its bank as she watched the sun’s reflection sparkle on the top of the water. There were a few swans and ducks milling around and bathing, and she felt a little bit at peace as she took in the serene view. Until Lena spoke.

 

            “Absolutely riveting, this is _exactly_ what I had in mind when I said let’s do something fun,” Lena sarcastically said from Kara’s left.

 

            Turning to look at her, Kara threw her hands up in a helpless gesture, “well what _do_ you want to do? Instead of criticising me, just tell me _one thing_ , and then we can do it in silence and have a bit of peace and quiet without leaping at each other’s throats every two seconds.”

 

            Rolling her eyes, Lena shrugged slightly, “do you have any rowing boats?”

 

            “Rowing boats?” Kara echoed, her eyebrows rising as she gave Lena a sceptical look.

 

            “Yes, boats that you row,” Lena impatiently replied, giving her an expectant look, “in case you’ve forgotten, I was captain of the rowing team that one year I was at school with you. Now, you might want to look at the lake all day, but I’d much rather be _on_ it, so do you, or do you _not_ , have a bloody rowing boat?”

 

            “Um, yes, there’s a boathouse at the right end of the lake,” Kara said.

 

            “Excellent,” Lena exclaimed, “come on then.”

 

            Within ten minutes, they had a small white painted rowing boat in the water, with Kara primly sat on the edge of the bench while Lena climbed in, leaving Maggie and Hector stood on the banks as they scanned the surrounding area. Picking up both of the oars, Lena manoeuvred them out to the middle of the lake with easy strokes, lazily dragging the oars back and forth at a steady pace.

 

            The sun was bright, and Kara looked at Lena, dressed in all black and bit back a smile – she must’ve been baking in the heat, and she didn’t look too happy about being outside. Her porcelain skin was a testament to the efforts she went to to stay in the shade. Kara was enjoying it though, and they sat in silence the entire time, with Kara looking around in interest. She saw something dart beneath the boat and let out a startled yell, making Lena jump, jumping to her feet as she looked down at the water, rippling outwards from the rocking movement of the boat.

 

            “Fish! The Koi fish – I always used to come and feed them breadcrumbs with Kal-El,” Kara excitedly told Lena, shading her eyes with her hand as she smiled at the other girl, who was looking at Kara with wide eyes.

 

            “Sit down!” Lena shouted, trying to stabilise them as they rocked back and forth, “I swear to God, if you tip this fucking boat I’m fucking drowning you,”

 

            “That’s treason,” Kara laughed, bracing herself on the edge as she leant over to get a closer look, “look! There’s one! Right the-” her words were interrupted by a loud shout, a surprise squeal and two big splashes, as Kara leant over too much and tipped the whole boat over.

 

            Lena resurfaced, spitting out a mouthful of lake water as she coughed and spluttered. Her eyebrows were drawn down into a furrow as she glared at Kara, who was paddling in place as she bit her lip, a look of worry on her face as she looked at Lena. It turned into a sheepish look, and her lips curled up into a smile. “Don’t you dare laugh!” Lena shouted at her, and then Kara burst into laughter as she pushed her lopsided glasses back up her nose. “It’s not funny, you silly mare; this is an Alexander McQueen shirt!”

 

            “Sorry!” Kara winced as she tried to flip the boat back over, “I’ll buy you a new one.”

 

            Lena muttered half a dozen curses under her breath as Kara flipped the boat back over and tried to get back in. Flopping onto the wet wooden floor of the boat, Kara leant over the side, reaching a hand out for Lena, who begrudgingly accepted it, and then a moment later, Kara over-balanced _again_ and fell back into the lake with another splash.

 

            “For fuck’s sake,” Lena cursed, and Kara burst into laughter again. The boat had overturned and covered them both, and they tread water in the gloomy inside of the boat, and Kara couldn’t stop laughing at the frown on Lena’s face. The water was cold though, and she started shivering as she laughed, and she suddenly became hyper aware of how close to her Lena was – it wasn’t a very big boat, and she’d splashed right back into the lake beside Lena.

 

            “You, uh, you have a leaf stuck in your hair,” Kara said, slowly reaching out and plucking it out of Lena’s hair for her, getting stony silence in return as Lena glowered at her. Throwing the boat back over, Lena climbed in and looked around for the oars, which had slipped out the first time the boat had tipped over.

 

            Letting out a sound of frustration, Lena shot Kara a look of irritation and warning as she climbed over the side of the boat and sat down opposite Lena. Lake water streamed off the two of them, and Kara squeezed some out of her hair as she smiled at Lena, before wiping the lenses of her glasses as best as she could.

 

            “Now what?” Lena snapped, gesturing to the oarless boat.

 

            “Crap,” Kara said, biting her bottom lip as she frowned slightly, “um, we could … paddle with our hands?”

 

            “We can’t paddle a fucking boat back to shore with our _hands_!” Lena exploded, “you know what, forget it.” She didn’t even wait for Kara to reply, before she dived off the side of the boat and started swimming back to shore. With a careless shrug, Kara followed suit.

 

            It took them five minutes of swimming before they reached the bank of the lake and climbed out, dripping water as they walked through the gardens, with Maggie and Hector, biting their lips to stop themselves from laughing at the two sodden royals. Kara chased after Lena, who set a brisk pace as she marched through the gardens, and didn’t stop until they came upon Alex and Eliza who were both wearing matching looks of amusement.

 

            “Eliza,” Kara smiled brightly at her –her mom had gone back to her own estate, and Kara hadn’t realised that she’d come back for the coronation already. “Forgive me if I don’t hug you, but I’m a little damp right now.”

 

            “Your Majesty, Your Highness,” Eliza said, dipping into a curtsy as she smiled at the two girls, “you both look like you’re having fun.”

 

            “Fun,” Lena scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest as she slowly began to created a wet patch on the bricks beneath her feet.

 

            Kara gave them all a sheepish smile as she helplessly shrugged, “it was my bad.”

 

            “Yeah, I gathered,” Alex laughed, holding up her phone, “don’t worry, I got it all on camera. And some nice photos too.”

 

            Muttering a curse under her breath, Lena nodded at everyone, “if you’ll excuse me, I need to go home.”

 

            “I’ve already sent the staff to fetch towels, robes and tea for you,” Eliza said, stopping Lena in her tracks, “I thought it might help to dry off outside … there’s a lot of guests around for coronation planning, so …”

 

            “Fine,” Lena sighed, running a hand through her wet, tangled hair.

 

            Kara looked around, taking in the sight of a dozen people milling around, pretending that they weren’t watching Kara and Lena as they half-heartedly contributed to their conversations. Eyes widening in surprise, Kara turned to look at Lena, who was frowning and had her arms folded over her chest. “Kiss me, quick.”

 

            “What?!” Lena spluttered, an incredulous look on her face.

 

            Tilting her head to the side slightly, Kara gave her a warm smile, in case anyone was sneaking photos of them to sell to newspapers. “Eliza’s right, there’re people around. Just kiss me on the cheek, and smile for God’s sake.”

 

            Alex and Eliza muffled their laughs as Lena took a deep breath, arranging her face into a bright smile, as if Kara had just said the most wonderful thing ever, and then wrapped an arm around her waist and cupped one of her cheeks, pressing a firm kiss to the other one while Kara laughed. The whole thing came off as playful irritation, with Lena annoyed at being dumped in the lake, but unable to withstand Kara’s _charming_  personality. If anyone was looking, it would at least pass for friendly, and that was all that mattered right now, because they weren’t public with their relationship yet. A stolen kiss on the cheek wouldn’t _have_ to look like they were desperately in love.

 

            Five minutes later, the two girls were wrapped in fluffy white robes, with towels around their shoulders, sipping tea in the garden as if they didn’t have a care in the world.

 

            “I could really go for some scones right now,” Lena sighed, a mournful look on her face.

 

            “You’ll be turning into one soon,” Kara snorted, “how were they?”

 

            Lena gave her a small smile, “absolutely divine. Thank you.”

 

            “Not at all,” Kara murmured, brushing aside the thanks, “I told you if I was allowed to be romantic, I would blow your mind. This was nothing.”

 

            “To most people, sending your private jet across the world to fetch some scones from the Queen of England _isn’t_ nothing,” Lena laughed, looking amused as she took a sip of her tea.

 

            “It is to us,” Kara shrugged.

 

            “Right. About us … what’re we to do about this coronation?”


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is probably more detail about the coronation of a british monarch that anyone cares to know, but it's the only kind of coronations I'm familiar with bc i'm a brit trying to pretend i'm american for the sake of fic writing lmao

            “Nervous?”

 

            “Terrified,” Kara admitted as she looked up at Alex with a hesitant smile on her face.

 

            She was sitting in front of the vanity in her quarters, while her hair was curled and elaborately braided, before it was all pinned into place. She looked back at the woman holding an eye shadow brush in her hand, closing her eyes as the woman carried on doing her make up. It had been the longest two months of Kara’s life, but _finally_ the coronation had come around, and Kara felt like she was going to be sick. Not only was this something that she had never expected to go through, but she had to do it on top of pretending to date Lena. She was grateful more than ever that she had Alex.

 

            “You’ll be amazing,” Alex assured her, “you always are. At everything.”

 

            “I just hope I don’t trip on the way down the aisle,” Kara sighed, “it’s going to be televised too, so if I mess up, the whole _world_ will see it.”

 

            Alex let out a laugh, reaching out to give Kara’s hands a squeeze, “you’ll be fine.”

 

            Once she was all ready, Kara climbed to her feet, and was led over to the garment bag that held her custom made dress for the occasion. It was white satin, with short sleeves, as shoulders weren’t permitted within the cathedral, and beautifully embroidered with floral emblems belonging to Krypton in gold and silver thread. The patterns were encrusted with pearls and crystals, and Kara smiled widely at the gown – it truly was beautiful. Before she could get changed though, the door was opened and Lyra walked in, carrying a large bouquet of beautiful flowers. She curtsied to Kara, and approached with the bouquet.

 

            “These arrived off Her Royal Highness, Princess Lena, Your Majesty,” Lyra said, and Kara smiled as her eyebrows flew up in surprise. She reached out and took the bouquet off Lyra, setting them down on the table and plucking the card out from amongst the petals.

 

_Good luck today_

_– L x_

 

            Kara let out a quick laugh at the kiss at the end of the generic note, and wondered how long Lena had spent debating whether or not to put it. Setting the card down, Kara looked at the flowers and smiled widely. They were beautiful red roses, yellow sunflowers and blue chrysanthemums; the colours of Krypton. She made a mental note to remember to thank Lena when she saw her.

 

            “And this as well, Your Majesty,” Lyra said, offering Kara velvet box that clearly held jewellery inside. Kara frowned slightly as she reached out for it, a hesitant look on her face as she flipped open the box. It was a necklace. A beautiful necklace wrought in platinum and diamonds, with rows of the glittering stones blossoming into florets, while a large pear shaped diamond hung from the very front of the necklace.

 

            “Holy shit,” Alex muttered as she peered over Kara’s shoulder.

 

            “It’s beautiful,” Kara breathlessly whispered, running her fingers over the jewels. It was clearly something out of the royal family of Thorul’s crown jewels, and Kara was hesitant to put it on – even though Lena clearly intended her to wear it at the coronation. It was too much though, a priceless necklace that Kara was worried about being careless with. She would only be wearing it for a few hours, but if something happened to it, then Lena would be pissed at her for ruining one of the crown jewels.

 

            Before Kara could stop her, Alex had plucked it from the velvet case and was fastening around Kara’s neck. She had to admit, it was a good move to do it while half a dozen stylists were present getting Kara ready, because without a doubt, one of them would let it slip that Lena had sent her flowers and an expensive necklace. Over the past two months, they had built a solid foundation for their relationship, and ever since the funerals a month ago, the media had continued to speculate, while snippets of information were leaked to the press. Some of them were completely fake, as everyone tried to jump in on the contributing to the latest gossip, but some of it came from within Kara and Lena’s own teams, to ensure that the public were talking about it.

 

            The coronation would just be more fuel to the flames, and once they made a ‘secret’ public outing during the coronation tour, the whole thing would be on fire. It hadn’t been too hard yet, but Kara knew that it was only just beginning, and the real trouble would come with dozens of camera flashes and reporters stalking their every move. The media always found a way to make things more difficult than they had to be.

 

            “Come on. Stop daydreaming about your girlfriend and put your dress on,” Alex said, snapping Kara out of her thoughts. She blushed slightly, because technically she _had_ been thinking about her _pretend_ girlfriend, and turning away from the flowers, Kara walked back over to the dress.

 

            She was quickly helped into the dress, and slipped on a pair of low heels as Alex fastened the row of pearl buttons down her back. It was a beautiful gown, if a little plain so as not to appear too garish, and she wore a red cape, trimmed with white fur and embroidered with flower patterns in gold thread, that trailed behind her. The diamond encrusted tiara she wore was perched on the top of her head, and would soon be covered by a crown. Standing up straight, Kara looked at herself in the full length mirror, before she turned around and held her arms open to Alex.

 

            “Well?”

 

            Everyone, including her sister, sank into curtsies, and Kara let out a laugh.

 

            “You truly are a queen,” Alex replied, with a proud look on her face as she placed her hands on Kara’s shoulders. “You have always been so strong and brave, and I know you’re going to be amazing at this. I’m so grateful to have you as a sister, and I’m so proud of you.”

 

            Kara blinked back tears, pulling her sister into a hug, “thank you for always being by my side.”

 

            “Of course,” Alex said, giving her a quick squeeze before pulling back, “now, we’d better get going. We can’t have you being late to your own coronation.”

 

            “Do you remember when I made you watch The Princess Diaries?” Kara asked, an amused smile spreading across her face. “A queen is never late, everyone else is simply early.”

 

            Alex snorted, “well, Julie Andrews is never wrong, but we should still get a move on. Your people await you.”

 

            After a few last minute adjustments, Kara was ready, and she walked out of her room, with Alex in tow. Almost everyone invited to the coronation were already at the cathedral, which left the palace staff and guards to watch and bow or curtsy as Kara walked through the palace. The only people still there were Alex, Eliza, Astra and Non, as the only living members of Kara’s family. They all respectfully curtsied, and her uncle bowed, before Eliza and Astra started fussing around her, making sure she looked perfect.

 

            “Good luck, my dear,” Eliza said, giving her a reassuring smile as she kissed her on the cheek – making sure she didn’t leave any lipstick marks.

 

            Astra gave her a terse nod, and Kara felt a lump rise in her throat as she looked like her aunt – she could _almost_ imagine that it was her mother stood before her, helping her through this – and Astra gave her shoulder a quick squeeze. “You can do this. Your parents believed you strong enough to carry the weight of your family on your shoulders, and this is just another part of it. They would be proud of you – _I’m_ proud of you.”

 

            A moment later they left her alone at the bottom of the grand staircase, making for their awaiting car to take them to the cathedral. As the doors were briefly opened and closed, Kara heard the thunderous cheers of the thousands assembled outside the palace and along the long stretch between the palace gates and the doors of the cathedral. Stands had been erected for them, and she knew that they would be packed by now, all of them waiting for her to make her appearance. She took a deep breath to calm herself, even as she fidgeted with her hands and paced slightly, waiting until the doors would open and she’d walk along the red carpet stretched out and down the front steps of the palace. A flicker of doubt crossed her mind, but then to Kara’s surprise, it was Lena who made her feel reassured. _Good luck today_. Those three words from someone who was so unwilling to give kind or reassuring words _surely_ meant that she could do it. If Lena of all people wished for her to succeed, then Kara knew that she would be able to get through it.

 

            When the doors reopened five minutes later, a rectangle of light at the end of the room, Kara arranged her features into a neutral expression and threw back her shoulders. Walking down the red carpet, she willed herself not to shake or show her nerves, and she was soon at the mouth of the doors. Household guards in their red uniforms lines the steps, their rows of gold buttons gleaming in the sun and black boots perfectly shined, and they all stood to attention as Kara paused on the top step. The roar of the crowd was almost overwhelming – ever more so than it had been at the funeral for her family – and Kara fought to keep a panicked look off her face, knowing that cameras would be trained on her. She could already see helicopters circling overhead, and knew that she was being broadcasted live to ever major news outlet in the city, as well as some in other countries. It wasn’t everyday that a coronation took place.

 

            Slowly, Kara began to descend the steps, her long cape trailing out behind her as she made for the carriage waiting for her. It was pulled by six white Arabian stallions, their bridles and harnesses beautifully embroidered with gold and the colours of Krypton, and the carriage was wrought in the same colours, looking like something out of a fairytale. As she reached the bottom step, two of the palace maids hurried forward to pick up the end of Kara’s cape as a footman opened the door to the carriage and helped her inside.

 

            Settling down on the red velvet seat inside, Kara sat with her back ramrod straight, steadily breathing in and out as she tried to calm her nerves. She hated to admit it, but she was scared. Her cape was carefully placed inside with her, and the carriage door shut behind her, and then the horses were dragging the carriage as they turned towards the front gates of the palace. Police and and military lined the streets, and retinues of army, navy and air force soldiers marched ahead in full dress uniform, the ones at the front beating drums to keep their marching in sync. The procession was slow, and Kara peered out the windows of the carriage, taking in the crowds waving little flags, and cameras flashing as they tried to get photos of the new queen.

 

            Pulling up outside the cathedral, a footman opened the door for Kara, and she climbed out to the flashing of cameras as reporters, cameramen and photographers stood behind railings one either side of the cathedral – it was as close as they were allowed to get. Stepping onto the red carpet rolled out to greet her, Kara looked up and had to fight back the urge to nervously push up her glasses, which she had forgone for the occasion in favour of contacts. Today she wasn’t herself – she was someone new. Royal and military officials rushed forwards, helping Kara out and ensuring that everything was running as planned, and Kara took a few steps forward, waiting while her cape was neatly arranged behind her, before she started walking towards the huge doors of the cathedral. It was dark inside, with only the tall arched windows letting light stream in, so Kara couldn’t see anyone inside as of yet, but she knew that there were a few hundred people packed into the massive cathedral.

 

            Stepping through the doors, she was met with the sight of everyone standing on their feet, as the sound of an organ playing from deep within reached her ears. Everyone with a title wore their official uniforms or cloaks, badges and sashes and tiaras, and the room was a riot of colours with the variations of dress from across the world, as high ranking officials and nobles stood crowded in amongst the Kryptonians. The ranking increased as Kara slowly walked down the middle of the aisle, keeping her eyes on the Archbishop who stood at the front of the room, amongst other higher up religious men to help with the ceremony. She kept her pace slow and steady, as practiced, but with the weight of hundreds of eyes, and the knowledge that she was being filmed niggling at the back of her mind, Kara felt her nerves increase. She had never felt more alone or vulnerable than she did in that moment, and she couldn’t help but wonder if her grandfather had felt the same, although he probably didn’t because he had been raised to expect this. Kara had it thrust upon her with an arranged marriage in tow. To distract herself, Kara let her eyes wander over the arches of the cathedral, taking in the beauty and precision of the carved stone, and marvelling at how old the place was. It was where generations of her predecessors had been crowned, and now she would be too.

 

            Reaching the front of the cathedral, Kara was led to the wooden throne, with a plush red velvet seat and gilt in intricate gold and silver leaf patterns. She was seated on a small chair before it instead though, arranging her cape around her as the Archbishop approached. Keeping a blank look on her face, Kara sought out someone she knew – finding her Aunt Astra staring intently at her as she awaited her niece’s coronation; Eliza looking slightly nervous; Alex smiling slightly as she looked on in pride. And then she found Lena, not too far away, given her royal title, and her green eyes bore into Kara’s. She smiled slightly, and it looked almost like a smug smirk, as if she knew that Kara was scared and had won some great prize at the fact that she was right. With the slight dip of her chin, Lena nodded, the smirk vanishing to be replaced with the barest hint of a genuine smile, and Kara swallowed the lump in her throat. She had the courage to get through this, and besides, she already _was_ queen – this was just a ceremony to validate her title. Nothing could go wrong.

 

            As the Archbishop walked from the east, south, west and north of the cathedral, asking everyone to pay homage to their new queen, waiting for the affirmative from the gathered guests, Kara patiently waited on her chair while the first part of the liturgy progressed. Then the Coronation Oath was administered to her, and a Bible presented by the Archbishop, as the crown had always been closely linked to the Church of Krypton. Afterwards, Kara’s cape and tiara was removed, and she was led to the the Coronation chair in the middle of the transept, where she was anointed with holy oil on her forehead, her hands and the chest, in the shape of crosses, while a blessing was spoken. It was the most sacred part of the ceremony, and was done in the sight of God, which Kara was a little sceptic about, but it was a necessary part of the ceremony. As the Archbishop spoke the words to her, she heard herself repeat them back, almost in a daze as her tongue moved of its own accord, and then she listened to him speak, closing her eyes as he anointed her as the lawful queen in the sight of God.

 

            An elaborately decorated gold robe was brought forward and put on over Kara’s dress, and a variety of rings were placed on her fingers, before she was presented with the Sword of State and the Sovereign’s Orb, which were promptly returned to the altar once Kara had held them, and replaced with two sceptres, one representing the Church, and the other representing the crown. They were beautiful golden rods, wrought into exquisite patterns and studded with jewels, and Kara gripped them both tightly as she took a deep breath. Next came the crown.

 

            She fought to keep her expression neutral as the ridiculously big crown was brought towards her. It was St. Rao’s Crown – the one that all monarchs were crowned with – and it was a made of deep blue velvet, trimmed with ermine fur, and with large gemstones inlaid in the gold bands that crossed it, coming to a point with a gold cross on top. Swallowing the lump in her throat, Kara stood completely still as the crown was gently placed on her head, and movement from every titled person in the room occurred in sync as they all donned their own small crowns. All the Dukes, Duchesses, Earls, Barons and Baroness’, all wore similar cloaks in red trimmed with white fur, decked out with their livery collar’s and small crowns to distinguish themselves as nobility. Kara locked eyes with Lena again, who was wearing a white silk gown and her own tiara, as Princess Royal of Thorul, as well as a dozen other objects of regalia that accompanied the dress required for a royal ceremony.

 

            Then Kara rose to her feet and was seated on the throne. As the closest blood relative to her, Astra approached first, while titled nobility flanked Kara’s throne on both sides, holding ceremonial swords upright, and the entire room was dead silent as her aunt took off her Duchess coronet and curtsied to the new queen. Kneeling before her niece, Astra paid homage to her, kissing the ring on Kara’s left hand, before rising to her feet, where she curtsied again, and took back her crown. She smiled proudly at Kara, who couldn’t manage more than the quirked up corners of her mouth. The process was repeated a dozen more times by Kara’s other family members and high ranking officials, before Kara was taken into the chapel at the back of the cathedral. Her ostentatious crown was swapped for one that was only slightly less pretentious – the Imperial State Crown that Kara would wear from now on, whenever the need arose – and she was offered prayers while everyone else in the cathedral sang hymns and waited for the queen to return.

 

            With her cape thrown back around her shoulders, her new crown securely on her head and the sceptre with the cross on the top and the Sovereign’s Orb, Kara made her way down the aisle of the cathedral. High ranking military officials, in full ceremony regalia with ceremonial swords and shining medals and braids pinned to their chests, stood on both sides of Kara, the two women at the front staying half a step behind her as the crown took precedence. With the sound of the Kryptonian national anthem being sung by all the citizens present, Kara exited the cathedral, letting out a shaky breath as she was led to the waiting carriage. It was an awkward struggle to get into the carriage without dropping the sceptre and orb, as well as balancing her crown, but she was soon settled inside, and a slow smile spread across her face at the roar of the crowd.

 

            She had done it.

 

\---

 

            Dinner had passed by quickly, and Kara had found herself starving after the fear and anxiety of the whole ordeal, and she enjoyed the five courses more than she had thought she would. She felt especially satisfied when she saw Lena’s face light up at the strawberry cheesecake, and the way her eyes immediately flickered over to Kara’s who smiled at her and raised her glass slightly. They hadn’t had a chance to talk yet, only seeing each other long enough for Lena to curtsy and move on as the next person moved forward.

 

            After all the guests had finished eating, they’d all gone to the massive ballroom, where an ensemble of musicians were seated on a small platform in the corner. Soft music filled the room as Kara entered to bows and curtsies from the wait staff dotted around the room, and she walked to the middle of the room, accepting a champagne flute off the closest man carrying a tray of glasses. Taking a sip, Kara watched as everyone flooded into the room, and her family were the first to follow after her, dipping into curtsies as they lowered their heads. Everyone had changed out of their ceremonial garb, and Kara wore the dress and tiara she’d worn to the ceremony, as well as the new ring on her finger. Her crown and the rest of the royal regalia had been sent back to the vault with the rest of the crown jewels. Lena’s necklace still hung around her neck.

 

            “Your Majesty,” they all murmured, and Kara gave them a bright smile.

 

            “You should be proud of yourself,” Astra said, giving Kara a warm smile, “but now, you should enjoy yourself. This is your day.”

 

            Alex laughed, “tomorrow the real work begins.”

 

            Kara let out a small groan, “don’t remind me. I’m up to my eyeballs in letters and paperwork as it is. This coronation tour is going to be tedious work.”

 

            “Well I hope my company won’t be too boring for you,” a droll voice came from behind them, and Alex moved to let Lena through as everyone dipped into curtsies at the princess' arrival. Lena smirked at Kara as she curtsied, “Your Majesty.”

 

            “Not at all,” Kara said with a smile, her eyes darting to Lillian and Lex, who were close behind Lena. She held an arm out to Lena, giving her a pointed look, and Lena stepped forward and kissed her on the cheek, pretending to tenderly wipe away lipstick for the benefit of everyone who was watching them. “Playing nice tonight, are we?” Kara muttered in a teasing tone.

 

            Lena pulled back and gave her a exasperated look, “when am I ever not, _darling.”_

 

            Laughing, Kara gave her a warm smile – she had to admit, sometimes she enjoyed the playful bickering with Lena. She only didn’t like it when it wasn’t playful, and one of them were in a bad mood, it usually being Lena. Lena stood by her side, catching Alex in conversation while Kara politely greeted the rest of the Thorul royal family.

 

            Kara spent the next hour mingling with her guests, drinking champagne and making polite talk as she thanked everyone for coming and accepted their well wishes. Needing a break, she decided to leave the ballroom through the open French doors, and out onto the veranda for some much needed fresh air. Kara leant on the stone wall separating the small enclosed balcony from the rest of the garden, taking a deep breath as she looked out at the night. She couldn’t see much in the darkness, but she could feel the wind on her face and hear the rustling of leaves and the gentle lapping of the lake over the sound of the party inside. There were roses and creeping vines on lattices on the side of the building, and in the dark Kara had missed the figure inspecting them, but she noticed her when she turned around, and let out a startled shout. Lena laughed, turning away from the roses and lifting a small silver flask to her lips.

 

            “My apologies,” Lena said, a smile spreading across her pale face as the moon illuminated it.

 

            “I didn’t know you were out here,” Kara murmured, feeling her heart stagger onwards in an uneven beat as she tried to calm herself down. She had come out here for some alone time, and hadn’t been expecting Lena to be here. Of _course_ she was though, because she seemed to be everywhere, all the time.

 

            Holding out her flask, Lena arched an eyebrow at Kara, “care for a drink?”

 

            “What is it?”

 

            “Vodka.”

 

            Kara hesitated, but she took the extended flask and took a swig before handing it back, trying not to cough as her throat was set on fire. Lena wiped the mouth of it before taking another sip, and Kara let out a surprised laugh. “You know we’ve kissed, right?”

 

            “Yes.”

 

            “So your mouth has been on my mouth. Wiping it because it touched my lips isn’t going to make a difference,” Kara said, raising her eyebrows slightly. Lena kept her eyes locked on Kara’s as she wiped the mouth of the flask again, a smirk playing on her lips as Kara rolled her eyes. “So, what brings you out here?”

 

            “Balls aren’t really my kind of parties,” Lena shrugged, taking a sip of her vodka, “too many big egos and entitled pricks in one room. You can’t even get pissed without everyone judging you, and they’re no fun at all.”

 

            Kara let out a laugh, “well, sorry to disappoint. I’ll make sure the next one is more your kind.”

 

            “Oh, I doubt you’d like my kind of parties,” Lena said, tilting her head to the side, “perhaps I should take you to the next one. I’m _sure_ you’ll enjoy yourself.” She snorted with laughter afterwards, which made Kara think that she definitely wouldn’t enjoy herself. Screwing the cap back onto the flask, she held it out to Hector, who was hidden behind her in the shadows. Maggie lingered in the doorway to Kara’s right, her eyes never straying off her boss.

 

            They fell into silence for a moment, and Kara fiddled with the ring on her finger as she looked down at the floor. She hesitated before gently clearing her throat, “thank you for the necklace, and the flowers. They’re beautiful. It was, ah, very _kind_ of you.”

 

            Lena nodded, a tight smile on her face, “I’ve been known to be kind on occasion. You’re very welcome though.”

 

            “I’ll have the necklace polished and returned tomorrow,” Kara told her.

 

            To her surprise, Lena let out a loud laugh, sounding genuinely amused as she looked at Kara. Her eyes sparkled and she bit her lip slightly to try and stop the smile. “It was a gift, Kara. I don’t want it back.”

 

            “Lena, it’s worth a _fortune_ ,” Kara protested.

 

            “It is,” Lena agreed, smiling slightly, “and we’re supposed to have been secretly dating for months now, and I thought that a gift for an occasion like this would need to be big. You’re not the only one who can blow minds with grand romantic gestures, you know.”

 

            Kara smiled, “well … thank you. I really appreciate the thought.”

 

            They fell into silence again, and everything seemed so removed from everything inside the ballroom, as if they were in their own little world. It was so quiet and peaceful, and Kara wished that she could stay out here for the rest of the night, but she knew that she couldn’t.

 

            Lena spoke first, stepping forward and smiling slightly, “we should re-join the party.”

 

            “Right,” Kara muttered, turning around.

 

            A warm hand stopped her with a touch on her arm, and Kara turned to look at her in surprise. Lena wasn’t one for contact – she knew that – so the casual way she stopped Kara in her tracks was a surprise. So were the next words out of her mouth. “There are a lot of windows looking out onto here … with people watching us. It- we- uh, we should kiss. They would expect us to … steal a moment alone.”

 

            Kara’s eyes widened slightly, and she opened and closed her mouth, “oh, um, yeah, of course. You’re right.”

 

            Lena hesitated, before reaching out and pulling Kara close by the skirts of her gown, and Kara let herself be drawn forward. Just like last time, Lena cupped her cheek, and brought her lips down on Kara’s, soft but unyielding. It was more than the last kiss, and Kara wished that she didn’t like the feeling of Lena’s lips pressed up against her own so much. But she did. That took her by surprise more than anything, and she kissed her back with the same fervour. It only lasted a few moments, but it was enough to make Kara’s breathing uneven and her cheeks flush pink.

 

            “You’ve definitely never had better,” Lena quietly laughed as she pulled back, her face inches from Kara’s and her breathing uneven too. Without another word, Lena brushed past Kara, who silently stumbled after her.

 

            Back inside the ballroom, Kara tried to act casual, but she noticed the way that a few people eyed the queen and princess out of the corner of their eyes. They would get to talking, and word would spread. Kara locked eyes with Alex, who was talking to Winn but watching her sister, and Kara felt her cheeks redden at the raised eyebrows and amused smile that Alex gave her. Trying to think of something to do to hide her awkwardness, Kara turned to Lena.

 

            “Dance with me.”

 

            “I don’t dance,” Lena scoffed.

 

            Kara smiled, holding a hand out to Lena, “well, the only reason why you wouldn’t, is because you _can’t_ , and because I know you, I know you’ll dance with me because you want to prove me wrong. So, let’s dance.”

 

            Lena gave Kara an exasperated look, but she knew that Kara was right – Lena was too competitive to let her be right about not being able to dance, especially when she was an excellent dancer. Lena always had to prove herself, and she would prove Kara wrong. Putting her hand in Kara’s, she let herself be led to the middle of the room, where couples twirled to the waltz that was playing. Kara assumed the position of the leader, with one hand on Lena’s waist and the other holding her hand firmly in her own. Lena’s hand came up on Kara’s shoulder, and she laughed at the large gap between them as Kara held her at arms length, taking to heart Lena’s request that she not get too close.

 

            “You’re making it look bloody awkward,” Lena murmured, cupping the back of Kara’s neck and pressing herself closer, “move your hand to my back. It’ll look more intimate that way.”

 

            Kara silently followed orders, giving Lena a smile with as much love and adoration as she could muster. Perhaps it was the vodka coupled with the champagne she’d been drinking all night, but Kara felt more comfortable with Lena being that close than she normally would’ve been. They quickly fell into step with the other dancers and the music, and Kara let out a quiet laugh.

 

            “You _can_ dance,” she said, smiling at Lena.

 

            Rolling her eyes, Lena gave her a small smile in return, “I’m good at everything.”

 

            “Of course you are,” Kara said, and Lena narrowed her eyes slightly as she looked up at Kara, almost as if she was trying to see if she was being mocked. She wasn’t though, because Kara had no doubt that Lena would be good at everything – she was too stubborn not to be – and Kara was being sincere. “Thank you for trying today,” Kara softly told her.

 

            Lena’s face softened slightly, but her lips were still pulled up into that wry smile that always made her look like she was mocking Kara. “Well, I wouldn’t want to ruin your big day,” Lena replied, “besides, I’m sure we’ll be back at each other’s throats tomorrow.”

  

            Kara shook her head as she smiled down at Lena. She looked into Lena’s green eyes, taking in the scar under her eyebrow – the imperfect beautiful scar was the only blemish on her flawless skin – and Kara couldn’t help but admire the effortless grace of Lena as they waltzed. “You’re quite beautiful,” she blurted out, “did you know that?”

 

            Lena let out a quick laugh, “I’ve been told before.”

 

            “Good.”


	9. Chapter 9

           “What’s the point in coming out to all these out of the way farms that exactly _nobody_ cares about?” Lena grumbled from the back of the car.

 

           Kara sighed, turning to look at the princess who was leaning against the car door with a pair of sunglasses hiding her face, even though it was raining. They were a week into the coronation tour, and Kara was starting to think that maybe Lena should’ve gone back to Throul with her mother and brother. They had toured most of the country by now, visiting all of the titled nobles, and spending some time with the locals, which Lena didn’t complain about, until they got to the small villages and farms. It was their last day in Krypton, and they would be going to Thorul tomorrow so that Kara could officially meet with the royal family, which meant that the press around her and Lena would be even more intense than usual.

 

           So far, everything had been going as planned. A lot of people accompanied Kara on the coronation tour, including her friends, which meant that it wasn’t out of place for Lena to be there with her. It did keep the papers and the news guessing though, especially after whispers about the coronation got out. All that was left to do now was to publically deny it, which was where they were off too now. Having toured a small sheep farm, and being gifted with her very own lamb, which Kara was excited about, they were now on their way to the private jet to take them back to Argo City. In the evening, Kara was to make an appearance on Krypton’s biggest talk show – a first for any royal – and she expected them to ask her about Lena, which would give her the perfect opportunity to deny it.

 

           “It wasn’t so bad was it?” Kara asked, raising her eyebrows as she smiled, “although next time you might want to wear more sensible shoes.”

 

           “If we keep this up any longer, you’re going to ruin my entire wardrobe,” Lena grumbled, looking at the muddy bottoms of her heels.

 

           Kara snorted with laughter, her eyes crinkling at the corners as she looked at Lena with amusement. “Perhaps we can take a nice shopping trip when we get to your city. I can buy you some new shoes and replace your shirt too, and get you something that _isn’t_ black.”

 

           “I like my black clothes,” Lena stiffly replied.

 

           Rolling her eyes, Kara sighed, “you literally look like you’re about to commit a crime or attend a funeral.”

 

           “Maybe I’m going to murder you and then attend _your_ funeral,” Lena snapped.

 

           “You know that could be taken as a threat against the monarch, and is technically treason and a punishable offence,” Kara said, leaning towards Lena as she spoke in a hushed voice.

 

           “Well you’re not _my_ queen,” Lena said, crossing her arms over her chest, “and besides, what am I going to kill you with? The stiletto on my heels?”

 

           Smiling, Kara leant back in her seat and shrugged, “I thought you had a couple of black belts, and don’t you have your own honorary military rank?”

 

           “It’s not honorary,” Lena muttered, “I served for four years and actually _did_ my boot camp training. I prefer to earn everything, rather than letting it get handed to me on a silver platter.”

 

           “It still is though,” Kara reminded her, “you think that because you try at what you do, that it’s fair, but it’s not. You might have worked hard for your arts degree, but you can be sure that your name helped you get the best marks - not that you're not a genius, because I know you are - and the best opportunities. You might have actually served _in_ the army, but you advanced through the ranks pretty fast _and_ didn’t have to be shipped overseas - you just did boot camp and then got to go to the events while you lived from the comfort of your own estate. It’s good that you try, but you still profit from your family name, even if you don’t like to admit it.”

 

           “I know I do, which is why I try to do as much activism as I can,” Lena coolly replied, glaring at Kara from behind the lenses of her sunglasses. “I can’t _stop_ being privileged, but at least I can use it to fight for change. Protests, charities and rallies are a good way to use my platform, so I do what I can.”

 

           Kara hesitated, “I mean, you _could_ stop being privileged if you didn’t hold up your end of the contract … just saying.”

 

           Lena gave her a hard look and fell into silence as she sulked. Kara raised her eyebrows at Maggie, who was sat across from her and trying to act like she wasn’t listening, but Kara could see the hint of a smile playing on her lips. It was a few minutes before Lena spoke again, “I might be privileged, but at least I do something other than what I’m bloody told.”

 

           “You’re here, aren’t you? Was it not your mom who told you that you had to accompany me?”

 

           “Well some of us still have parents who try and tell them what to do,” Lena snapped. Kara opened her mouth and closed it again, turning to look out the window as she clenched her teeth. It was a low blow to bring up her dead parents, and they both knew it, so a moment later, Lena let out a frustrated sigh. “I’m sorry, that was way out of line, and wrong of me to say about the Duchess of Kandor,” Lena quietly apologised.

 

           Watching raindrops trickle down the window, Kara let out a strained laugh, “well you’re right; my parents are both dead, and Eliza’s not my biological parent.”

 

           “Yeah, well, neither is my mom, but that doesn’t mean she’s not my mom,” Lena muttered, “I’m sorry.”

 

           “Don’t worry about it,” Kara murmured.

 

           “I don’t mean to be a bitch, I just- I don’t know how to do … _this_ ,” Lena said, “I don’t spend a lot of time with other people. Only my family when it’s necessary, and we can’t stand each other, so … I’m not good at playing nice.”

 

           Kara let out a snort of laughter, “only in front of the cameras, right?”

 

           Lena hesitated, before grimacing at Kara, “well it’s not like we have a choice.”

 

           “There’s always a choice.”

 

\---

 

           Kara was anxiously waiting backstage as the talk show started, and she could hear the host of Livewire, Leslie Willis, greeting the audience and giving them a rundown of the show. Watching from the screens backstage, Kara felt her nerves growing. So far she hadn’t been required to give a speech or a statement – only saying a few words at her family’s funeral and a quick thank you after her coronation – and this would be her first time publically speaking about the whole ordeal. She was terrified.

 

           “Hey, you’ll be fine,” Alex said, appearing at Kara’s left.

 

           She nodded and gave her sister a grim smile, before her eyes landed on her aunt. Astra sauntered over and gave her a warm smile, “everything’s under control. Answer the questions the way that we practiced and you’ll be amazing. Just remember not to get political, and stay away from sensitive topics – it’s too early in the game for you to be putting your foot in it just yet.”

 

           Kara nodded in agreement, not trusting herself to talk. Her aunt had been appointed Kara’s personal advisor, because she knew this game so well, and had been playing her part in it for years. Kara trusted her wholeheartedly, and knew that she just had to listen to her aunt’s advice and she’d get through this easily. She mentally ran over the list of topics that they’d covered, double checking that she had an answer for them all.

 

           “Do you want me to sneak you some whiskey from the minibar?” an amused voice whispered in her ear, and Kara jumped slightly as she looked over her shoulder at Lena, who was smirking at her, “or I could kiss you again. Those always seem to cheer you up.”

 

           “You’re very full of yourself, has anyone ever told you that?” Kara muttered.

 

           Lena laughed, and her breath tickled the side of Kara’s neck, sending shivers down her spine. She was too close. “Your complements were much nicer the other night, but yes, my mother tells me that, every day,” Lena said, “it’s funny, you two seem to have a lot of the same opinions about me.”

 

           “Being compared to your mother? That’s not something I ever thought I’d hear you say,” Kara replied, “for starters I would never force-“ She was cut off by Lena pressing frantic kiss on her lips, and Kara’s eyes widened in surprise as she stood still.

 

           Pulling back a moment later, Lena leant in, her lips brushing Kara’s ear, “don’t be an idiot, Kara, there’s cameras and mics everywhere.” Opening and closing her mouth, Kara pressed her lips together in a thin line. “Break a leg, _darling_.”

 

           Giving Kara a gentle push towards one of the sound guys, Lena gave her a slight smirk, watching as Kara had a tiny mic fitted to the front of her dress. A few minutes later, she was being announced to the live audience, and Kara took a deep breath, looking over her shoulder and locking eyes with Lena, who gave her a curt nod. Nodding to herself, Kara put a smile on her face and walked out onto the stage to applause.

 

           It was all going perfectly so far, and Leslie tried to make the whole thing humorous to put Kara at ease. Yet there were still some heavy topics that they touched on, like Kara’s family and the circumstances that brought her to the throne. It wasn’t as bad as Kara had expected it to be, and she found herself genuinely enjoying herself during the interview, even if she spent half of the time making sure that her posture was perfect, and her dress was neatly arranged, and her words were perfectly enunciated.

 

           “Now, Your Majesty,” Leslie said, giving Kara a sly smile, “I have to ask … there’s been a lot of press about you lately. You and a certain princess, who I believe is waiting for you backstage.”

 

           Kara felt herself blush slightly, “ah, yes. Princess Lena and I … we’re very close. She’s been a great friend to me – we actually met at boarding school when we were roommates – but over the past two months we’ve- well, I’ve really come to rely on her for support.”

 

           “Great _friends_?” Leslie probed, and Kara gave her a coy smile.

 

           “Yes, we’re very … _close_ ,” Kara agreed, biting her lip slightly as if she was trying to stop herself from smiling.

 

           Leslie narrowed her eyes slightly as she gave Kara a thoughtful look, “so, these rumours in the press …”

 

           “Well you know how rumours work,” Kara shrugged, gesturing vaguely as she smiled at her host.

 

           “So, our new queen _doesn’t_ have a new romance budding?” Leslie asked, her eyebrows raised slightly, and Kara let out a quiet laugh as she shrugged.

 

           “Love is found in unexpected places, so who knows,” Kara hedged, a teasing smile on her face.

 

           The topic of her love life was discarded after that in favour of other topics, which Kara was all too eager to pursue. Soon enough the interview was ending, and Kara was smiling as she thanked Leslie for having her, and the camera’s were turning off. She spent a few moments sat in the armchair, chatting to Leslie, while sound technicians and directors came out to unhook their mics and tell them both that they’d done a fantastic job. An hour later, the gates to one of the side courtyards of the palace were opening, and Kara and Lena were being ushered inside as quickly as possible.

 

           “Your Majesty,” Astra called after Kara as she made for the grand staircase, “may we speak for a moment?”

 

           “Of course, Aunt Astra,” Kara smiled at her, “should we have tea in my room?”

 

           Hesitating, Astra nodded, and followed Kara upstairs. Alex and Lena followed too, and Maggie opened the doors to Kara’s suite and dipped her head as the four women walked inside. Everyone sat down on the sofa, except Astra who remained standing, and Kara watched as Lena sat as far away from Alex as possible. It wasn’t just her that Lena was adverse to.

 

           “May I ask _what_ that was?” Astra asked, pinching the bridge of her nose as she closed her eyes.

 

           “What?” Kara asked, her eyes widening innocently as her forehead furrowed in confusion.

 

           Letting out a huff of frustration, Astra opened her eyes and dropped her hand, giving her niece a hard look. “We’ve been trying _so_ hard to make this relationship believable – we’ve had stories leaked and anonymous sources giving hints, and the moment you have the chance to _confirm_ it, you say that you’re _friends.”_

 

           Kara bit back a sigh, “it was pre-planned.”

 

           “By whom?” Astra asked.

 

           “By Lena and myself,” Kara said, raising her eyebrows slightly.

 

           Astra opened her mouth to reply, but Lena cut her off. “Forgive me, Duchess, but you seem to be mistaken if you think that we’re puppets. Kara happens to be the _queen_ now, and while she might not be able to get out of this bloody contract, it doesn’t mean she has to listen to anyone or anything else. This contract was made for the _two_ of us, so excuse us if we take matters into our own hands and do what we damn well please. If we’re stuck in this mess, then we’ll handle it whatever way we want, and you’ll have to trust that we’ll do our best to meet the terms. Neither of us wants to risk our titles, especially not when your niece is a queen now. So if you don’t mind, stay out of our fake relationship.”

 

           Kara had to bite back a laugh at the end, and she could see Alex pressing her lips hard together as she tried to keep a smile off her face. Astra spluttered slightly as she looked from Lena to Kara, and Kara purposely avoided looking at her aunt. It was silent for a few moments, and then Kara sighed, looking up at Astra and giving her an apologetic look.

 

           “It’s between the two of us now. Our parents set the terms, and now we’ll play the game how we want to,” Kara informed her, grimacing slightly.

 

           “And if you mess up?”

 

           “Then we’ll deal with that too.”

 

           Astra nodded, and then dipped into a curtsy, “if you’ll excuse me, Your Majesty, Your Highness, Lady Alex.” Kara nodded her head, and Astra turned and left the room, leaving the three girls sat in silence as they watched Lyra bring in a large tray carrying tea and scones – a staple that Kara had added to tea whenever Lena was present.

 

           Pouring three cups of tea, Alex handed the first to Kara, and then another to Lena, before picking up her own and turning to Lena. “I like you.”

 

           Lena let out a snort of laughter, her eyebrows shooting up as she gave Alex a sceptical look. “Why? Because I shouted at your sister’s aunt?”

 

           “Yes.”

 

           “Alex,” Kara sighed, giving her an admonishing look.

 

           Her sister gave her an innocent look as she shrugged, “what? Astra knew about this contract for years and didn’t tell you. I’m allowed to take some satisfaction in watching her get put in her place. If only for her lying to my sister.”

 

           Kara rolled her eyes, taking a sip of her tea as she watched the two other girls drink their own. They made small talk for a while, until their cups sat empty and the hour grew late, and then Alex climbed to her feet, curtsying to Lena and giving her sister a kiss on the cheek. “Goodnight. I’m proud of you,” Alex said, giving her a warm smile.

 

           “I love you,” Kara called after her as Alex walked to the doors.

 

           “Love you too.”

 

           Turning back around, Kara’s eyes landed on Lena who was looking at her with a slight frown on her face. Kara had expected her to leave as soon as possible, but the relaxed posture told Kara that Lena had no intention of leaving just yet. Looking puzzled, Kara nervously pushed her glasses up her nose, “what is it?”

 

           “Nothing,” Lena murmured, looking down at her lap, “I just- I never … had _that_ with my brother.”

 

           “Oh,” Kara softly exclaimed, a look of pity in her eyes. For the first time, she realised that Lena’s bitchy personality and asshole tendencies were an act – a very good one – and it was designed to push people away. She didn’t have anyone else, she only had herself, and Kara realised that the reason that Lena fought so hard against her was because she didn’t want Kara to get too close. She was lonely and she had isolated herself to the point where she wouldn’t let anyone close – even someone who she was contractually obligated to spend the rest of her life with.

 

           Lena let out a sharp laugh, “don’t pity me, Kara. My brother’s a wanker, and I don’t care much for him. He tries to be nice sometimes, but I have no time for him and his giant ego. I was just stating a fact – I don’t want his love.”

 

           “Right,” Kara slowly replied.

 

           “I just wanted to say sorry again … about this morning,” Lena hesitantly said.

 

           Kara closed her eyes, letting out a soft sigh, “I already told you, don’t worry about it.”

 

           “I hope you know that it’s not _you_ that I have a problem with … well, most of the time,” Lena said, giving Kara a grim smile.

 

           “I know,” Kara assured her, “I know it’s hard for you. Thank you.”

 

           Lena shrugged, “don’t mention it. Pretending isn't the hard part for me though, I've been doing it for years with my family. Who would've thought that the Throul royal family were a fucking mess, right? It's just ... this whole situation is so ... infuriating and you just have a way of getting under my skin, and I know that I antagonise you too, but it's just, ugh! We'll have to try harder tomorrow though.”

 

           "I know. Any plans?"

 

           Grimacing, Lena scratched the back of her neck while she thought, "I don't know. I guess we'll just caught kissing in a public place that we thought would be private. We'll be in Thorul for a few days, so we can kiss, get it leaked, then you'll leave and I'll stay home. Then we'll meet each other somewhere along your tour-"

 

           "France," Kara interrupted, giving Lena a small smile, "you said you wanted to go snowboarding."

 

           Lena let out a quick laugh, "right, in France. We can go to a ski resort up in Les Deux Alpes and have the guests leak the news. Then we can meet up somewhere else a week or so later and have our first public outing as a couple. You know ... hand holding, bright smiles, looking all cozy in a booth at some bloody posh restaurant. It'll still be warm in the more southern climates so we could take a few days vacation there."

 

           "Australia?" Kara suggested.

 

           Lena wrinkled her nose as she shook her head, "no, I want to go on a bloody vacation, not fucking melt in forty degree heat. Somewhere in this hemisphere, but just closer to the equator please. Do you like Spain? Italy? Greece?"

 

           "Greece," Kara answered, "I like Cyprus. We could take a day trip to Italy though, and we can visit an art gallery. At least we'll _both_ like that one."

 

           "Perfect."

 

           "Well, it's settled then," Kara said, giving Lena a small smile, "now we just need to fake it until ... well, forever."

 

           Snorting, Lena rolled her eyes and climbed to her feet, "brilliant. You should get some rest, it's going to be a long day tomorrow. You can bet that my mom isn't going to make it easy for us."

 

           "Sleep well, Lena," Kara told her as she watched the princess walk towards the doors.

 

           "Goodnight, Kara."


	10. Chapter 10

            They left for Thorul early the next morning, arriving at a small airport a little over an hour later and climbing straight into the waiting cars. The only people who would be accompanying Kara on the international part of her trip were Astra, Alex and a dozen bodyguards. Her Uncle Non and Eliza would be staying behind to arrange things with Prime Minister Grant in her absence, and Kara felt reassured that they would take care of things for her while she was gone for the next month or so. On their way to the palace, Kara watched Lena closely, taking in the brooding silence and the brows drawn low over her hard eyes. She didn’t look happy to be home.

 

            Mercer was just like any other capital city with its skyscrapers and office buildings, restaurants and big designer brands, and Kara could almost imagine that she was driving through Argo City – except for the unfamiliarity of the streets – until they came upon the palace. She had been to Cadmus Palace before for some events, and remembered how beautiful the elegantly carved building was, and it was even more beautiful inside if her memory served her right. The gates were opened, and the cars quickly slipped through, before coming to a stop outside the front doors of the palace. They had been opened, and on the top step stood Lex and Lillian, as well as the Prime Minister and a few other officials, dressed impeccably for the occasion, and awaiting the arrival of the Queen of Krypton.

 

            The door was opened, and Kara climbed out first, holding a hand out to help Lena climb out, before she approached the King of Thorul. Lena curtsied to her brother and mother as they reached the top step, before allowing them both to place what looked like affectionate kisses on her cheeks, and Kara gave them both warm smiles, exchanging kisses too. She was to act like she was familiar and comfortable around the Luthor’s, to add to the whole charade of her and Lena’s relationship. Everyone else bowed and curtsied to all the royals as they congregated outside the palace doors, ignoring the shouts and bright flashes of light as the press crowded around.

 

            Everyone made their way inside the palace, leaving the staff to fetch the luggage and take them to the appropriate rooms, and they were led to a sitting room to enjoy some tea together while they all acquainted themselves and talked of polite matters. Lena was silent throughout the whole thing, sitting closely beside Kara for the benefit of the other officials who weren’t in on the secret. As soon as they had all finished drinking their tea and it had been long enough to not seem rude, Kara commented on how her sister had never been to the palace before, and hinted at how she’d love a tour, while subtly giving Lena’s knee a squeeze. Jumping at the chance, Lena offered to give their Kryptonian guests a look around the place. Astra declined in favour of chatting with Lillian and the Prime Minister, leaving Kara to follow after Lena, with Alex in tow and Maggie falling into step behind the three of them.

 

            “Where would you like to go first?” Lena glumly asked, looking at Kara.

 

            “Oh, um, nowhere,” Kara said, giving her a sheepish smile, “you just looked pretty miserable in there so I thought I’d rescue you.”

 

            Lena blinked in surprise, her eyebrows rising slightly, “oh … well, thank you. I should probably show you where your quarters are though, before I leave.”

 

            “Leave?”

 

            “I have my own estate just outside the city,” Lena explained, “I think I would go mad if I had to live _here_.”

 

            “Oh, right,” Kara said, giving her a small smile, before turning to look at Alex. “Did you want to go back to your room?”

 

            Alex shook her head, “no, but I can just take a walk through the gardens while you go back to yours with Princess Lena.”

 

            Lena hesitated, “my mother will know if I don’t show you around … perhaps we should do _something_ to at least make it look like I am giving you a tour. A walk in the gardens will be fine.”

 

            Together, the five of them started walking through the palace, with Kara slightly trailing after Lena, even though she had precedence given her higher rank. Maggie and Hector followed a few feet after them, and Alex and Lena made polite conversation about the beautiful paintings hanging on the wall, and the intricately woven carpets and carved furniture. In contrast to Krypton’s red, blues and gold’s, Thorul’s palace favoured shades of green, black and silver, and Kara felt slightly out of place amongst the almost cold looking palace. It was elegantly beautiful, and she knew that it was lavishly decorated, but it didn’t seem quite as homely as Sunstone Palace did.

 

            The gardens were beautiful though, and they walked along brick pathways cut through flowerbeds and bushes, and Kara watched as Lena stopped to admire the flowers every so often, trailing her fingers along the petals of a slightly withering rose as the approach of autumn started to kill it. They stopped at a small bench, and Kara perched on the edge of it, basking in the weak sunlight as Lena silently sat beside her and Alex hung back and talked with Maggie in hushed tones.

 

            “What’s the plan for tomorrow?” Kara asked after a few minutes, turning to look at Lena expectantly.

 

            She hesitated as she met Kara’s eyes, “um, well, you can come to my place if you’d like. It would probably help if you were seen arriving there, and we could spend the day outdoors. The gardens aren’t as big there, so the press should be able to get a good photo of us kissing.”

 

            “Okay,” Kara agreed, “it’ll probably be everywhere within minutes – thank god for social media – so maybe the day after, we can have a proper public outing. You can show me the city and take me to your favourite places.”

 

            Lena scoffed, “I don’t have any favourite places in this city. There’s too many people, and I’m never allowed to go out without guards, so I find it kind of … suffocating here.”

 

            “I’ve been feeling the same way since my grandfather died,” Kara muttered, a slight crease forming between her eyebrows, “one bodyguard was enough for the third in line to the throne, but now … I’m barely allowed near windows, and I can’t move an inch without someone following me. Even now, Maggie’s close enough to guard me, but I can guarantee there’s at least another three of them about, keeping an eye on me.”

 

            “There’s five,” Lena muttered, “three of the men, and two of the women.”

 

            Kara let out a laugh of surprise, “you’re very observant.”

 

            Shrugging, Lena stared down at the ground, “some people would say I’m paranoid.”

 

            “You’re not paranoid, you’re just … distrusting,” Kara said, her eyes crinkling at the corners as she smiled.

 

            Laughing, Lena shook her head slightly, “you’re right on the money there, and I have to trust _you_ of all people, with no assurance that you’re even trustworthy.”

 

            “Hm, I wouldn’t say that,” Kara said, wrinkling her nose slightly, “how many times did you sneak out of the window of our dorm? And how many times did you sneak back in to see a lump under the covers that I made so that you wouldn’t get into trouble?”

 

            “That was eight _years_ ago, Kara,” Lena snorted, “I don’t think what happened when we were bloody teenagers is a good indicator of whether or not I should trust you now.”

 

            “It’s a start, and we weren’t even _friends_ , so I think that counts for even more. You were very … well, I wouldn’t say _rude_ , but you weren’t exactly kind to me, and I could’ve given you away at any point if I wanted to be petty and spiteful.”

 

            Lena bit her lip as she tried not to smile, “god, I really was awful, wasn’t I?”

 

            Kara shrugged, “not to me; you never really talked to me.”

 

            “I think that in itself was rude,” Lena said, grimacing slightly, “my mother would be so disappointed if she knew how rude I was to my future _wife_.”

 

            “Well I guess you’ll just have to trust that I won’t tell her,” Kara told her with a wry smile.

 

\---

 

            It was starting to get dark outside when Kara went for a walk through the hallways, Maggie following behind and answering the odd question that Kara threw her way as they made slow progress, stopping to stare at paintings or look out at the city beyond the walls. She didn’t know where Lena’s rooms were, but she definitely heard her as they rounded the corner of a hallway, and Kara spotted Hector stood guard outside the door. He looked right at her, and Kara knew that she couldn’t turn around and walk away now; she would have to keep going, and try and ignore the words that she could clearly hear.

 

 _“You didn’t raise me! You never wanted anything to do with me – I wasn’t even allowed to come home for the holidays. You sent me to boarding school on the other side of the_ world _to get rid of me, and now you suddenly want me here?_ _Why? Because I’m useful all of a sudden? Or you don’t trust me enough to not fuck it up?”_

_“No, I don’t trust you with this,”_ Kara heard the distinct cold voice of Lillian reply. _“Lady Astra told me that the two of you think you can do this alone, but you_ can’t.”

 

 _“It’s none of your business what we do,”_ Lena snapped, _“you put me in this position. You_ stole _my life from me, and you expect me to let you twist it even more while you manipulate us both into getting what you want? Is ruining my life not enough payback for what dad did?”_

_“Be reasonable, Lena,”_ Lillian sighed, _“this was never about your father.”_

_“Don’t pretend like you’ve never condemned me for his mistakes. I could never be perfect in your eyes – what was even the point in trying? – so you left the nanny’s to deal with me while you raised your precious prince here.”_

_“Honestly, Lena, are you still upset that you weren’t raised at home? I sent you to Krypton when you were seventeen, was that not enough?”_

_“No it bloody well wasn’t enough! I was seventeen, mom! I’d been at boarding school ever since you could send me. I wanted to come home. Being one country away instead of in Ireland didn’t make me feel any better. And now … I don’t give a damn about this place. I’m not going to stay here just because_ she’s _here, and I have some part to play. I didn’t_ want _this.”_

_“You’ll do as you’re told, and for the next three days, you’ll smile and play the perfect daughter, and you’ll play the doting girlfriend and you_ will _make sure that you sell this.”_

_“I’m sick of pretending! I’m sick of the cameras, and the reporters and the constant harassment when I go outside. I’m sick of pretending that we’re this perfect family! We’re not, mom, we’re all fucked up and this is the most twisted thing of it all. I don’t want to have to parade around on her arm before the whole world. I don’t want to do this.”_

_“Then leave. Leave everything you’ve ever bought with the crown’s money behind, and go and find yourself a job staring at paintings all day and see how well that lifestyle agrees with you.”_

_“That’s not fair! You know I won’t give it up – just end the contract. Do this one thing for me, and I’ll never ask for anything ever again.”_

_“No.”_

_“You’re a spiteful, manipulative bit-“_

_“Careful, daughter, you don’t want to get on the wrong side of me. I could make things even more difficult for you if I feel so inclined.”_

            Kara had already gingerly passed by Lena’s closed doors, but not quick enough to get out of sight of Lillian as she yanked the doors open and strode out into the hallway. Lena slammed the doors shut with an echoing bang, and Kara winced as she heard Lillian’s voice calling her name from behind her. Slowly turning around, Kara plastered a polite smile on her face and dipped her head in acknowledgement as Lillian walked towards her.

 

            “I was just taking a walk,” Kara said, trying not to balk under Lillian’s intense stare.

 

            “Ah, I thought perhaps you might be here to talk to my daughter,” Lillian said, “I fear that she’s in a _terrible_ mood this evening, so I’m not sure she would make good company. Not that she ever does, if I’m being quite honest.”

 

            “I happen to enjoy our talks,” Kara coolly replied, “she’s very witty.”

 

            Lillian sniffed disapprovingly, “well, to each their own. Well, I won’t keep you from your walk then. Goodnight, Your Majesty.”

 

            As Lillian turned to walk away, Kara built up enough courage to call after her, swallowing back her nerves as Lillian trained her piercing on her once more. “Forgive me, but I couldn’t help but overhear … I-I would like to ask that you stay out of this business between Lena and I.”

 

            “Oh?”

 

            “Please don’t make it any more difficult than it needs to be. We’re trying, really, and if it gets any harder … we won’t be able to keep it up. We want to make this work, and clearly so do you, so please, let us do it the way we want to.”

 

            Lillian gave her a hard look, and Kara balled her hands into fists to stop them from shaking. “Very well, on your own heads be it, Your Majesty.”

 

            Kara let out a shaky breath as Lillian turned and walked away, and heard a quiet laugh off to her right. She turned and looked at Maggie in surprise, and her bodyguard quickly fell silent, bowing her head slightly. “Forgive me, Your Majesty, it’s just … that took more guts than I thought you had.”

 

            A laugh of surprise fell past Kara’s lips, and she gave Maggie a hesitant smile, still feeling slightly shaken. “Well, while I’m on a roll, I may as well tackle the ice princess and see if she’s okay.”

 

            Doubling back on herself, Kara stopped outside the door, giving Hector a quick nod, and raising her hand to knock. She didn’t get a reply, so she knocked again louder, letting out a heavy sigh. “Lena, it’s me. Your mom is gone; I kind of … told her to butt out.”

 

            The door was pulled open, and Kara blinked in surprise as she looked down at Lena. She wasn’t wearing any shoes, and Kara towered over her as she hovered outside the door. Lena wouldn’t meet her gaze, she just stared at the floor, and it wasn’t until a moment later that Kara realised why. “You shouldn’t be here,” Lena choked out, her voice thick with tears.

 

            She was crying, and that startled Kara more than anything. Lena was always stone cold and stoic, and of course Kara knew that it was all an act, but to see her cry set her on edge. Lena stepped back and Kara slipped inside, not realising that Lena was about to slam the door in her face, not invite her in.

 

            “I came to see if you were okay,” Kara softly said.

 

            “Does it _look_ like I want you to come and check up on me?” Lena snapped, shutting the door anyway and keeping her head down.

 

            “Well … no.”

 

            “Sod off then!” Lena shouted at her, looking up at Kara, whose eyes widened as she took in the red rimmed eyes glistening slightly. She’d already taken her make up off for the evening, and Kara was mildly shocked at the softness to her face without the famous red lipstick and the perfectly applied products that always made her look perfectly flawless. She still looked beautiful, but it was like a layer of her had been stripped away, leaving a vulnerable girl behind, and Kara felt sorry for her.

 

            She swallowed the lump in her throat, “okay. I just … I don’t want you to be alone.”

 

            “What, and you think I want you to _comfort_ me?” Lena laughed, sniffing as she looked away from Kara.

 

            Shrugging, Kara grimaced slightly. “No, but I don’t want you to feel lonely. I … I know what it’s like to be upset and alone. It can feel even worse, but you-“

 

            “I what?”

 

            “You don’t have anyone to begin with,” Kara murmured, wincing slightly as she waited for Lena to bite her head off.

 

            To her surprise, Lena let out a tearful laugh, “well, you’re not wrong.”

 

            “I want you to have me though,” Kara quickly told her, “I know that neither of us asked for this, but I don’t want us to hate each other. If there’s one good thing to come out of it, at least we can be friends … kind of.”

 

            “Friends?” Lena laughed, “I’m not the kind of friend that you want.”

 

            “Well, I-“

 

            “I need to get out of here,” Lena interrupted, looking at Kara with an urgency in her eyes, “are you coming?”

 

            Kara didn’t hesitate, “yes.”

 

            In a hurry, Lena slipped on a pair of jeans and a coat, and she threw some clothes at Kara, ushering her into a bathroom to get changed. They were slightly too small for her, and Kara’s wrists and ankles were sticking out of the cuffs as she stepped out of the bathroom. She was stuck with her small heels though, and Lena took them out of her hands as Kara walked out of the bathroom, before she walked over to the window and tossed them outside, ignoring Kara’s spluttered protests.

 

            “Lena! What the hell are you doing?” Kara exclaimed.

 

            “Keep your fucking voice down,” Lena hissed at her, pulling a pair of keys out of the desk drawer in her office, before she walked over to the window that she’d thrown Kara’s shoes out out. “Well? Are you coming?”

 

            “Out the _window?!”_ Kara quietly exclaimed, giving Lena a look of concern.

 

            She rolled her eyes and sighed, “you literally said earlier that you watched me sneak out of out window dozens of times at boarding school. I used to do it here too. You said that you feel suffocated sometimes, and if we walk out those doors, our bodyguards are coming with us. When was the last time you were alone? Truly alone?”

 

            Kara hesitated, trying to think hard. She’d been had a bodyguard with her since she’d been at boarding school. She’d had eyes watching her every moment from the day she was born. She’d never truly been alone – ever. Lena seemed to see the truth dawn on Kara’s face, and she gave her a smirk.

 

            “Do you trust me?”

 

            She didn’t hesitate at that question, “yes.”

 

            Lena climbed down the ivy covered lattice attached to the side of the palace, and Kara quickly followed after her, her bare hands and feet easily finding holds as she lowered herself down to the stone ground below her. She tried not to think about falling three stories to her death if she misplaced a hand, or the lattice came away from the wall, and instead she just admired the leaves beneath her hands and tried to avoid thinking about it. She was on the floor soon enough, scrambling to pick up her shoes, but Lena grabbed her by the arm before she could bend and slip them on her feet.

 

            “There’s no time,” Lena hissed, “there are cameras watching the walls, which means they’ll know we just snuck out, and the gates will know in three minutes. Get a fucking move on, and give me your phone.”

 

            “My phone?”

 

            “Yes, your fucking phone,” Lena hissed, hauling Kara around the side of the palace as she made for a low building at the west end of the grounds. The garage. They were inside in a minute, and Lena quickly typed in a number on Kara’s phone as she turned the car engine on. “This is Sawyer, with the Kryptonian party. I need the gates opened immediately – Her Majesty wishes to leave the palace,” Lena said with an affected American accent, and Kara bit her lip to stop herself from smiling.

 

            Lena hung up a moment later, throwing the phone into Kara’s lap and reversing out of the garage. They were in a modern black car, but it somehow still had the elegance of an old school car, and Kara admired it as they pulled up at the gates and she gave the guard a small wave as they passed through it, watching it close behind them. Then Lena was speeding off through the city, as if she expected someone to chase after them – and Kara suspected that they might – and the soft sounds of classical music drifted from the speakers. Winding down the windows, Lena took a deep breath of the cool city air.

 

            “Should the windows be down?” Kara asked as the breeze mussed her hair up, “what if someone shoots us?”

 

            Lena let out a loud laugh of surprise, her eyes sparkling with amusement as she looked over at Kara. “No one gives a shit about us. They don’t even know it _is_ us.”

 

            “Eyes on the road please,” Kara said, looking slightly alarmed as Lena stared at her face and kept her foot on the accelerator, instead of watching where she was going. With another small laugh, Lena turned her eyes forward, squinting slightly as the headlights illuminated the way. “Why are you _squinting?”_

            “I already took my contacts out,” Lena said, grimacing slightly, “I can’t see shit.”

 

            Kara let out a sound of surprise, “I’m going to die. You’re going to wrap us around a tree or- or we’re going to get shot, and this is all going to be my fault because you told me to climb out of a _window,_ and I know I said I trusted you, but Jesus Christ.”

 

            “I’m a good driver,” Lena insisted, biting back a smile, “and we’re not going to get _shot,_ you silly cow. It’s a miracle you ever leave your fucking house if this is how paranoid you are without bulletproof glass to hide behind.”

 

            “Well excuse me for having all of my family _murdered,”_ Kara spluttered.

 

            “Oh shit, sorry,” Lena winced.

 

            Kara just gave her a lopsided smile; she didn’t want to ruin Lena’s fun. Her eyes were sparkling with amusement, and all thoughts of her mom seemed to have faded, along with the rest of her concerns as the wind streamed through the windows, and shops, bars and cheap takeaway places came into view.

 

            “Where to, Your Majesty?” Lena asked, giving Kara a small smile.

 

            “Where do you feel free?”

 

\---

 

            They ended up pulled over on the side of a small country road, seemingly chosen at random, and they were both sitting on the bonnet of the car, their arms folded behind their heads as they silently looked up at the stars. It was a slightly cold night, but the sound of the wind rustling the nearby trees was a welcome change to the bustle of the city nightlife, although Kara tried to stifle shivers as the cold found its way beneath the sleeves of Lena’s borrowed coat and jumper.

 

            “There’s whiskey in the car, if you want some,” Lena murmured as a shiver ran through her.

 

            “No, it’s fine. You can have some though – I’ll drive us back,” Kara quietly told her.

 

            She climbed off the bonnet and fished out a small bottle from the trunk. Kara laughed as Lena returned, bringing a rolled up blanket with her, and a sneaking suspicion led her to believe that Lena snuck out here often. Watching her carefully drape the blanket over both of their legs, Kara noticed the way Lena’s slender fingers twisted off the bottle cap and rolled in between her fingers as she laid back against the windscreen and took a sip.

 

            “So, why this road?” Kara asked after a moment.

 

            Lena sharply looked at her, before hesitating, “there’re some stables nearby, for when royal hunts happen. When I was home, my dad used to bring me out here to teach me how to ride, and play polo. He tried taking me on hunts too, but I didn’t care for hunting down foxes for sport.”

 

            “Right … vegetarian,” Kara murmured, looking at Lena with curiosity. She tried so hard to remove herself from everything – hiding behind an arrogant smirk and a sharp wit – but she was still strung up on the past. It was all another mask to present herself to her audience, and Kara frowned as she stared at her.

 

            Catching her staring, Lena raised her eyebrows, and Kara fought back a blush. “What is it?”

 

            “I, um, I was just trying to figure you out,” she admitted.

 

            “What about me?”

 

            “If you’ve ever let someone actually know you,” Kara murmured. “You’re just as vulnerable as everyone else underneath all your sarcasm and iciness, but I don’t think there’s anyone who’s ever seen beneath that mask. Not even Sam, or your assistant, Jess, nor even Hector.”

 

            Lena shrugged, “whatever you say, Kara.”

 

            “Oh come on, Lena,” Kara sighed, giving her an exasperated look, “you think that you can hide behind being an asshole to people, but we both know it’s an act. It might’ve been real when we were at school and you were angry about starting over in a new place, but you’ve changed, and you’re still trying to live behind that mask. I don’t want to make you angry, or piss you off, but we both know I’m right.”

 

            “People don’t change,” Lena muttered, taking another swig from the bottle, “I don’t _want_ to change. You think that I’m not the same girl I was in school, but that’s because you never really knew who I was.”

 

            “I don’t want you to change,” Kara shrugged, “I just want you to stop lying to yourself.”

 

            “I’m not a liar,” Lena stiffly replied, bristling slightly at the accusation. “You might mean everything you say, but I don’t. That doesn’t make me a liar though, it makes me … careful.”

 

            Kara gave her a wry smile, “we’re lying to the whole world.”

 

            “Well we’re not lying to each other – or to ourselves,” Lena replied, letting out a sigh. “Do you think it’ll ever get easier?”

 

            Thinking in silence for a moment, Kara tilted her head to the side as she looked at Lena. “Yes, I think it already is. It might not be _easy_ , but it’s already easier. You know, you can be quite nice when you’re not getting under my skin.”

 

            Lena snorted, shaking her head as she looked up at the stars. “You’re always nice,” Lena mused, “it’s one of the things that irritates me most about you.”

 

            “Should I not be nice?”

 

            “No, but it would make me feel less shitty about snapping at you when you piss me off.”

 

            “Well I’m sorry for annoying you,” Kara murmured, and Lena let out a snort of laughter.

 

            They fell silent after that, lost in their thoughts while they looked upwards, appreciating the view of the night sky without the lights from the city to interrupt them. It was starting to get late, and Kara worried about everyone trying to find them, and wondering how much trouble she’d be in when she got back. Alex had called her three times, and Kara had sent back a text ensuring her that they were both fine – just taking a break from the palace – but she hadn’t told her sister where they were. Not that she knew anyway. Lena had assured Kara that she’d disabled the tracker too, so no one would find them unless they told themselves, which almost made Kara feel uneasy. If something happened, they were an hour away from the city, and no one knew where. She didn’t voice her concerns though – Lena already thought she was paranoid – and they left not long after anyway.

 

            It was nearing midnight by the time they made it back to the city, with Kara behind the wheel of Lena’s car, and Lena looking slightly dazed as the whiskey took the edge off her usual grouchy personality. They were making for the palace, with Lena giving her directions, when all of a sudden, Lena let out a startled shout and unbuckled her seatbelt.

 

            “Pull over!”

 

            With a panicked look on her face, Kara slid into the first parking spot she could find along the street, feeling her heart pound in her chest as she tried to figure out what had caught Lena’s attention. “What? What is it?” she asked, her eyes wild behind the lenses of her glasses as her eyes scanned the streets, looking for something wrong.

 

            Lena opened the door and climbed out, bending down slightly to give Kara a slight smirk, “frozen yogurt.”

 

            “Are you _kidding_ me?” Kara asked, letting out a breathless laugh, “you damn near gave me a heart attack, Lena!”

 

            “Are you coming or not?”

 

            Kara turned the car off and unbuckled her belt, climbing out of the car and locking it behind her. On the sidewalk, they fell into step beside each other, and Kara realised that they were on the main street of the city, with bars, clubs and diners lining the streets, full of people, some of whom were spilled out onto the streets, staggering in their drunken state, or laughing as they hurried along with friends. Kara was quick to throw an arm around Lena’s shoulders, pulling her close and giving Lena a warning look when she looked up at Kara in surprise. They didn’t know who they would bump into tonight.

 

            An arm snaked around Kara’s waist as Lena leant into her, and she began to lead them back the way they had come, towards the froyo shop that had caught Lena’s attention. They slipped through the crowds of people walking towards them, the occasional person doing a double take when they realised the face of the queen who had been plastered on the news for the past few months, and Kara knew that the sneaky photos being snapped of them would be on social media within minutes. That meant that the paparazzi wouldn’t be far behind.

 

            Stopping outside the froyo shop, Kara let go of Lena and waved her forward. “After you, honey,” she said with a warm smile that crinkled the corner of her eyes.

 

            Lena laughed as she walked inside, and Kara followed her into the warmth. She watched as Lena grabbed one of the large tubs and filled it with strawberry frozen yogurt, handing a tub to Kara with her other hand. Thanking her with a small smile, Kara started to fill hers up with chocolate, and then moved on to the strawberry one, pausing when Lena let out a sound of protest.

 

            “You can’t _mix_ your flavours!” Lena told her, a look of disgust on her face as she watched Kara carry on adding the strawberry one and then moving on to the vanilla.

 

            “Why not? One flavour is so … boring,” Kara said, giving her a teasing smile, “why commit to one, when you could try something new.” Lena grimaced, moving onto the toppings and adding a scoop of strawberries to hers as Kara watched in amusement. “What’s with you and strawberries?”

 

            Lena shrugged, “they taste good. You can never go wrong with strawberry flavoured things.”

 

            Kara rolled her eyes as she laughed, adding in some mint yogurt, followed by blueberry and banana while Lena watched in horror. At the cotton candy one, Kara hesitated, glancing at Lena. “Do you think cotton candy will mix well with the others?”

 

            “By all means, have at it. None of them mix well,” Lena said, “it’s going to be absolutely bloody revolting either way.”

 

            “Fair call,” Kara shrugged, adding in a tiny amount of the cotton candy one, before moving onto the toppings and adding a scoop of gummy bears as Lena groaned loudly. “What? Everyone likes gummy bears!”

 

            Lena just pressed her lips together in a grim line, shaking her head disapprovingly as she watched Kara add skittles and chocolate syrup. At the counter, Kara blinked in surprise – she had forgotten she didn’t bring her purse with her – but Lena didn’t even glance at her expectantly as she handed over her own credit card. They sat in one of the circular booths at the back, with a good view of the window, and Kara slid in next to Lena, leaning in close.

 

            “Thank you,” she murmured, “and sorry, I figured that it would look more romantic if we sat right next to each other.”

 

            Letting out a quick laugh, Lena rolled her eyes, “yes, it’s _very_ fucking cozy and romantic in a pissing froyo place.”

 

            Kara gave her an admonishing look as she scooped up some of her dessert, “do you have to swear so much?”

 

            “Yes,” Lena smirked, “if you don’t like the way I talk, ignore me.”

 

            “Is that what you do with me?”

 

            Lena tilted her head to the side, a thoughtful expression crossing her face before her smirk grew and she nodded. “Sometimes.”

 

            Eyebrows rising slightly, Kara carelessly shrugged, “that’s fair.”

 

            “Does it really bother you when I swear?” Lena asked, frowning slightly.

 

            “No,” Kara admitted, “it’s just unexpected. Everyone with our lifestyle is so … refined. It’s actually quite refreshing.” Scooping some of her froyo into her mouth, Kara smiled brightly as a burst of flavours assaulted her tastebuds, and Lena leant away from her slightly.

 

            “I refuse to believe that that monstrosity tastes nice,” she said, eyeing the riot of colours in Kara’s tub.

 

            Kara sighed, “it does!” She gave Lena a playful smile, leaning in close to her ear, playing it up for any viewers. “I would offer you some, but you probably wouldn’t want a spoon that’s been in my mouth – not without wiping it, because it's _touched_ my mouth ... like your lips.”

 

            Lena let out a snort of laughter, reaching out to fiddle with the collar of Kara’s coat. “You think you’re funny, don’t you?” she muttered, and Kara laughed, giving her an amused smile while she nodded. In a flash, Lena reached out and plucked Kara’s spoon out of her hand and scooped up a mixture of Kara’s dessert, before slowly eating it off the spoon. Kara watched Lena’s perfect lips slide over the spoon, and the spark of amusement in Lena’s eyes told her that she was making it as sensual as possible on purpose. Kara cleared her throat slightly, fighting back a blush as she stared straight back at Lena – she wouldn’t let her get to her.

 

            With a quiet laugh, Lena handed her spoon back to her, before scooping up some of her strawberry one and holding it out to Kara. She tried to take it, but Lena moved the spoon out of her reach as she laughed, and Kara gave her an exasperated look as she opened her mouth obligingly and let Lena spoon some into her mouth. She prayed that _somebody_ was taking photos of this, because Kara had to admit that they were doing a good job. Pulling the spoon out of Kara’s mouth, Lena arched an eyebrow at her and followed it up with a kiss. Kara froze for a moment as Lena’s cold lips touched her own, but she quickly kissed her back, cupping the side of Lena’s face and running a thumb over her cheekbone.

 

            Lena pulled back and leant in to Kara’s ear, “you’re blushing.”

 

            “So are you,” Kara whispered, feeling herself blush even more at Lena’s words.

 

\---

 

            The paparazzi were waiting outside, as suspected, and Kara held on tightly to Lena’s hand as they were met with dozens of camera flashes and shouting reporters. It was almost terrifying, and Kara had been in no way prepared for this kind of reaction, even though she had known that it would warrant their attention. What scared her the most was how _close_ they were, because there was no security around to keep them at bay like there usually was.

 

            Back inside the safety of the car, Kara sank back into the leather drivers seat, trying to ignore the camera flashes outside. She buckled her seatbelt and then reached out for Lena’s hand, pressing a kiss to the back of it as she watched the camera flashes go wild around them, before turning on the engine. Kara had a bittersweet feeling as she lived the moment and realised just how much she was going to miss it, because this was the last moment that things would be the same as they had been. It had all been speculation before then, but now, they had just gone public, and nothing would be the same again.


	11. Chapter 11

             “Good morning, Your Majesty,” Lyra said as she walked into the bedroom that Kara occupied, “it’s seven o’clock, ma’am.”

 

             Kara grumbled, burrowing deeper under the blankets, “why are you waking me up so early?”

 

             “Forgive me, Your Majesty, I’ve been asked to wake you. The Queen Mother and Lady Astra are waiting for you in the dining room.”

 

             Sighing, Kara pushed the blankets off her, blinking as she took in the light that streamed in through the window that Lyra was pulling the curtains back from. She knew that she was going to be in big trouble – they hadn’t been accosted the moment they’d returned to the palace, which meant that her and Lena would be in for it now. Slipping out of bed, she had a quick shower and changed into the clothes that Lyra pulled out for her, before walking over to the door and pulling it open. Maggie gave her a stiff nod and a cool look, and Kara winced internally, realising that Maggie probably would’ve been reprimanded last night. She gave her an apologetic look and set off down the hallway to the dining room that Lyra directed her towards.

 

             Two staff members in green and black uniforms bowed to Kara as she approached, opening the doors for her and letting her into the dining room, where she was met with stony looks off Alex, Astra and Lillian. Lena wasn’t here yet. Lillian gave her a curt nod, while Alex and Astra curtsied, and Kara gave them nervous smiles as she walked further in. They all stood in silence, and a few minutes later the doors reopened to let Lena in, who already looked like she was over the argument before it had even begun. She sighed as she walked in, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms over her chest; she didn’t bother kissing Kara, there was no one around who didn’t know it was fake.

 

             “Get on with it then,” Lena said, standing next to Kara.

 

             “You-“ Lillian started, and Kara quickly cut in.

 

             She knew interrupting Lillian before she could start her tirade was probably the best option to keep things from getting too heated. “It was my fault,” Kara blurted out, “I asked Lena to sneak me out of the palace. I just … I needed to get away-“

 

             “Don’t defend her,” Lillian snorted, “I know it wasn’t you, Your Majesty. Lena’s been doing this ever since she was a child, and I thought she would’ve grown out of it by now. You’re not a teenager anymore.”

 

             “Well don’t keep me locked up here like I’ve been grounded,” Lena snapped, “we’re both adults.”

 

             Astra stepped forward, her eyes blazing with anger, “you snuck out! With no guards or security or _anything_. Even the tracker was disabled. You could’ve been stuck in the middle of God knows where, and no one would’ve been able to even find you. Kara – Your Majesty – you have an entire monarchy resting on your head, and if something happens to you …”

 

             “I think I’ll go mad before something happens to me,” Kara replied, grimacing as she crossed her arms over her chest.

 

             “You’d think that after you’d lost all of your remaining family to someone setting off a bomb, you would be more careful,” Astra reminded her.

 

             Kara clenched her jaw, “don’t-“

 

             “This was my fault. I take full responsibility for this, but we did get something out of it, which you would know if you’d watched the news this morning. The terms of your shitty contract are being met.”

 

             Alex quickly whipped her phone out and started tapping on it, no doubt bringing up the first news site she could find. She let out a laugh as she stared down at her phone, and Lillian and Astra quickly turned to look at her as she gave Kara an amused smile. “Well done.”

 

             Astra took the phone off her, quickly scrolling through the photos of Kara and Lena at the froyo place, and then handed it off to Lillian, whose eyebrows rose in surprise as she looked at photos of her daughter lovingly feeding the queen of Krypton some of her dessert and kissing her. “Well, it wasn’t a complete waste of time then.”

 

             Lena looked somewhat smug as she looked at her mom, “no, not a complete waste. We thought we’d seize the opportunity while we were out, and get a head start.”

 

             “So you see, it made things more … normal, and now we’re back safely,” Kara said, smiling slightly, “so now the speculation is over, and we can move onto the next stage of our plan.”

 

             “Would you care to indulge us?” Astra asked.

 

             Smirking, Lena tilted her head to the side as she stared at Astra and her mom, “no, I don’t think we would care to.” She turned to looks at Kara then, “I believe we had plans today?”

 

             Kara bit back a smile as she peeked at Lena out of the corner of her eye, “yes.”

 

\---

 

             They pulled up to Lena’s estate to the press waiting outside, and Lena let out a sound of frustration as they made their way through the gates, coming to a stop outside the front doors. Kara looked at the sprawling mansion with interest; so far she’d only gotten glimpses of the real Lena, but this was her _home_. She made a mental note not to pry too much, because Lena wouldn’t take too kindly to her poking around in her private life.

 

             Hector climbed out first, casting a look around as he opened the door for Kara. She ignored the shouts coming from the people crowding up against the fence, and held out a hand to help Lena out of the car. Maggie slid out after them, and pressed her fingertips against Kara’s back as she urged her onwards towards the open door. As they crossed the threshold, Lena seemed to sag in relief, and breezed past the few staff lingering about as they bowed and curtsied. Keeping her hand in Kara’s, Lena dragged them towards the large staircase and led them upstairs, not dropping Kara’s hand until they were inside a spacious room. Kara blinked in surprise, realising that it was Lena’s room, and she nervously looked around, trying not to let her gaze linger on anything for too long.

 

             “You can sit down,” Lena muttered, gesturing towards the sofa off to the left.

 

             “Thank you,” Kara muttered, crossing the room to take a seat on the edge of the cream velvet sofa. The colour scheme of the entire room seemed to follow creams and dark brown wood, and it was elegantly beautiful yet slightly modern, but seemed to fit Lena’s personality perfectly. The warmth of the whole estate surprised Kara – she’d half expected black and a cold unlived in feeling – and realised that this was the one place that Lena had for herself. This was the place that she’d decorated for herself, to feel safe and comfortable and away from all of the rules and regulations at her family’s palace. The only splash of colour was a deep red framed painting above the fireplace, and Kara blinked in surprise. “Is that my painting?”

 

             Lena’s cheeks turned slightly pink beneath her makeup, and she shrugged carelessly, “you were just going to leave it behind, so I stole it.”

 

             “You _stole_ my painting?” Kara exclaimed, her eyebrows rising as she stared at Lena.

 

             “Like I said, you were just going to leave it behind.”

 

             “Because it’s rubbish.”

 

             Lena sighed as she rolled her eyes, walking over to stand before the painting. She stood there in silence for a few moments, with her back to Kara, before she turned around, a perplexed look on her face. “What did you feel? When you painted it.”

 

             Kara hesitated, frowning slightly as she thought hard about it. “I don’t know … anger? I was frustrated about this whole … _thing_. It’s a strong colour though – it’s why it’s on my family’s flag – and it’s … passion, and danger.”

 

             “So it means something to you,” Lena told her with a slight smile, “art is subjective. Some people would look at it and see love, and romance, and yes, passion.”

 

             “Not you,” Kara said, and Lena raised her eyebrows.

 

             Her face softened slightly into a smile though, “no, not me. I’d go with your original intentions behind the painting. The brushstrokes … they’re careless. It was rushed and messy and I like it. It’s kind of like this whole fucking situation with us.”

 

             “Well, when you put it like that,” Kara said with a smile. “Although, I still don’t think it’s worthy of being cut and framed when all of your other paintings are probably worth millions.”

 

             Lena shrugged, “some of them are. I don’t think that you can put of a price on it though. I’ve seen the Mona Lisa, and it’s beautifully made, but it has no meaning for me. It’s just a portrait of a woman that people can only speculate about, yet people rave about it.”

 

             “Fair point,” Kara agreed.

 

             “You can have your painting back if you’d like. I just didn’t want it sat there collecting dust like everything else,” Lena said, taking a seat on the sofa opposite Kara.

 

             Kara gave her a soft smile, “keep it.”

 

             Lena nodded, her eyes darting up to the deep red painting nestled in the gold frame. They sat in tense silence for a few moments, and Kara had to bite her lip to stop herself from blurting out the first stupid thought that came to mind, as she was prone to doing. Instead, she watched Lena, she stared off into space as she reclined against the pillows on the sofa. Finally, Lena looked up at her, and tilted her head to the side as she took in Kara’s perfect posture, her hands delicately resting in her lap, and her legs crossed at the ankles. She let out a small laugh.

 

             “When was the last time you ever just … did something that wasn’t appropriate?”

 

             “Last night,” Kara immediately replied.

 

             Laughing, Lena rolled her eyes, “and before that?”

 

             Kara shrugged slightly, pushing her glasses up her nose, “never?”

 

             Scoffing, Lena climbed to her feet and walked into her bedroom. She returned a few minutes later with beige fitted pants and a white polo shirt on, and held out an almost identical set to Kara – the only difference being the pale blue shirt – and gave her a smile. “Have you ever been shooting?”

 

             “No, it’s not appro-“ Kara cut herself off halfway through, realising that she was proving Lena’s point.

 

             “Learnt archery? Fenced? Played _polo?_ Gambled and gotten drunk before lunchtime? _”_ her smirk growing each time Kara shook her head. “Well, if you want to keep up with me, you’re going to have to break some rules.”

 

             “What about my reputation?”

 

             “Fuck it.”

 

             Kara hesitated, before she climbed to her feet and took the clothes off Lena. She stripped off her dress and changed into the clothes, feeling ridiculous as the fitted leggings stopped two inches too short, and feeling as if she was about to burst out of the polo shirt if she flexed her biceps. It was perfectly tailored for Lena, and it was baggy and tight in all the wrong places for Kara, but she sighed as she walked back out. Lena let out a snort of laughter as she took in the sight of Kara.

 

             “You look … ridiculous.”

 

             “I know,” Kara said, pursing her lips slightly as she made her disapproval evident. “What about shoes? I can’t wear my heels if we’re doing, well, God knows what you have planned.”

 

             Lena took her shoes off her, walked over to the window and tossed them outside, ignoring Kara’s protests as she tried to make a grab for them. “Will you _stop_ doing that,” Kara exclaimed as Lena laughed, “and I’m not climbing out your window again. We’re not sneaking off in the middle of the day while I look like I’m wearing children's clothes.”

 

             Smirking, Lena raised her eyebrows at her, “we’re not sneaking out the window, I just like winding you up so I thought it’d be funny.”

 

             “You’re hilarious,” Kara huffed, crossing her arms over her chest and feeling the short sleeves strain against her muscles as they tensed slightly. “Well?”

 

             “Just go barefoot,” Lena shrugged, walking over towards the door and pulling them open.

 

             Kara made a sound of protest, looking at the tan knee-high boots that Lena was wearing. “How come you get shoes?”

 

             Lena looked over her shoulder and smirked at Kara, “because this is my house, and I have appropriate clothes with me. It’s not my fault you’re unprepared.” Biting back half a dozen curses, Kara stomped after Lena, having no choice but to go barefoot, considering the fact that her shoes were currently on the cobblestoned courtyard three floors beneath her.

 

\---

 

             “Are you even listening?” Lena snapped as an arrow sailed over the target set up thirty metres away from where Kara was standing.

 

             She dropped the bow and turned to face Lena, who was sitting under an umbrella at the small table and chair, her sunglasses on and a teacup and saucer held in her hands. They’d been out here for an hour already, with Lena giving orders to Kara as she tried to tell her how to shoot, much to Kara’s irritation as she missed the target every time.

 

             “Maybe if you actually _helped_ instead of sitting around drinking tea and shouting tips, I might be able to actually do it,” Kara huffed.

 

             “My tips are my way of helping, if you'd _listen_.”

 

             Kara rolled her eyes at Lena, giving her an exasperated look, “well it’s _not_ helping. I don’t even know how to hold the damn thing.”

 

             With a sigh, Lena set her tea down, rattling the china, and climbed to her feet. She took the bow off Kara, plucked an arrow from where she’d stabbed them into the grass, and expertly fitted it to the bow. Kara watched as Lena sighted down the shaft of the arrow, exhaling slowly before she let the arrow fly. It sank into the middle of the target, and Lena smirked at Kara as she rounded on her.

 

             “See? Easy.” Frowning, Kara huffed as she reached out and took the bow off Lena, who reached out to smooth away the wrinkles on Kara’s forehead. “Don’t frown,” Lena hissed at her through clenched teeth as she forced a smile, “there are people sneaking photos through the fence.”

 

             “Well then how about you play nice and teach me how to shoot properly,” Kara said, plastering a fake bright smile on her face.

 

             Muttering curses under her breath, Lena plucked an arrow out of the ground and presented it to Kara with a strained smile. Thanking her, Kara fitted it to the bow and lifted it as she drew the bowstring back, standing squarely before the target. Lena let out an irritated sigh, “I literally told you twelve times to stand sidewards.”

 

             Kara shuffled around to stand sidewards, and Lena cleared her throat slightly, “how would you like to play this?” At the questioning look on Kara’s face, she elaborated, “do you want to make it really … _close_ , as if we think we’re alone. Or should we make it more … demure?”

 

             Hesitating, Kara slowly lowered the bow and released the pressure on the bowstring as she contemplated Lena’s question. “You, uh, you don’t like to touch people so, um, well-“

 

             “I don’t like people touching _me_ ,” Lena corrected her, “there’s a difference. Just … do you think they’ll know if we put on too much of a display? You denied the whole thing only two days ago, and they might be suspicious about us showing too much affection.”

 

             “Um, well, I think we- it, ah, um,” Kara stammered.

 

             Sighing, Lena closed her eyes for a moment, “Kara, just tell me – yes or no – if you want me to touch your waist.”

 

             “I, uh, well, I mean, I guess it’s fine,” Kara stammered, trying to stop herself from blushing as Lena gave her an exasperated look. She reached out and gingerly put her hands on Kara’s waist, positioning her properly before the target. Kara swallowed the lump in her throat as she tried to ignore the warmth that radiated from Lena’s carefully placed hands, raising the bow again and drawing the string back.

 

             Lena moved one of her hands to nudge Kara’s elbow up higher, and the other came up to steady the hand on the bow. “Relax,” Lena murmured, and Kara could feel her breath on the back of her neck, and suppressed a shiver as she let out a shaky breath. “Now, breathe out slowly,” Lena said, and the hand on Kara’s elbow moved to her stomach, taking Kara by surprise, “and make sure yo- oh.” In her surprise, Kara had accidentally let go of the bowstring and sent the arrow flying towards the target.

 

             “Bollocks,” Lena said as the arrow soared over the top of the target and disappeared into the shrubbery behind it. “You weren’t supposed to let go yet.”

 

             “Well you touched my stomach!” Kara spluttered, “you said you would touch my waist, _not_ my stomach.”

 

             Huffing, Lena let go of her, “well sorry for trying to help. Next time I won’t bother, I’ll just drink my tea and let you figure it out yourself.”

 

             “Why are you getting all pissy because I missed?”

 

             “Because you’re blaming me because you’re shit at archery!”

 

             “Because I’ve never done it,” Kara exclaimed, “now stop snapping at me and help me do it again before they think we’re arguing.”

 

             Lena let out a snort of laughter, “we _are_ arguing.”

 

             Giving her a tight smile, Kara reached out for Lena’s hand and picked it up, “well they can’t know that, so play nice, please.”

 

             Lena pursed her lips for a moment, before she reached out and booped Kara on the tip of her nose, giving her a loving smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Fine, once more, and this time _don’t_ let go until I bloody say so.”

 

             “Fine, sheesh. You're so bossy,” Kara muttered, reaching for another arrow.

 

             She turned side on to the target, going through the motions again, and Lena let out a sigh, “God, you’re such a drip. Relax your bow arm, you dozy cow.”

 

             Sighing, Kara tried to relax, but she was consciously aware of how close Lena was; she could almost feel her pressed up behind her and it was setting Kara on edge. She followed Lena’s instructions again though, and didn’t flinch when she touched her stomach, and when she released the arrow, it flew straight towards the target and sank into the edge of the padding.

 

             Kara let out an excited yell, and she could hear Maggie laughing from where she sat watching with Hector. She turned in Lena’s arms to give her a bright smile, forgetting just how close Lena was for a moment and finding them almost nose to nose. “Oh,” Kara murmured, blinking in surprise, “should we kiss?”

 

             Lena shrugged carelessly, “may as well make it exciting for them.”

 

             With a laugh, Kara pressed a chaste kiss to Lena’s lips, before extracting herself from Lena’s arms. She shot a few more arrows without Lena’s guidance, only striking the target once more, much to Lena’s chagrin and slight amusement – it looked like Kara wasn’t cut out for archery – and then they sat down to finish off their finger sandwiches and enjoy the brisk breeze that blew through the gardens.

 

             As they were sat there, talking about their plans and trying to use things they knew from boarding school to add some truth to the lies, a thought crossed Kara’s mind, and she froze mid-sentence. “What is it?” Lena asked, arching an eyebrow as she inspected the jam tarts on the cake stand, picking up a strawberry one, much to Kara’s amusement.

 

             “I was, um, just thinking … about boarding school,” Kara slowly said, and Lena wait impatiently for her to elaborate, “my parents … they’d already made the contract then. Five years before we went to school together. Do you- do you think we were roommates _because_ of that?”

 

             “Oh,” Lena muttered, a frown gracing her face, “well, I wouldn’t be surprised if my mother asked them to put me in with you. That would make sense. I suppose that might be why she chose to send me there when I asked to come home – it was closer and put me closer to _you_.”

 

             “Perhaps it was all a test,” Kara said, looking troubled at the prospect.

 

             Lena let out a quick laugh, “well it backfired if it _was_. They probably thought they’d fucked up big time, what with how we didn’t get along at all.”

 

             “That was all on you,” Kara reminded her, raising her eyebrows slightly as she smiled around the rim of her teacup. Bristling at the blame, Lena scowled at her and bit into her jam tart and Kara winced slightly, knowing that Lena was shooting daggers at her from behind her sunglasses. “That was a joke,” she muttered.

 

             “I know,” Lena muttered, looking down at her plate, “but … we’re older now, and I just … I thought things would be different. They are, of course, because I wouldn’t have thought I’d be _here_. I’ve been thinking lately, about how fast everything has been moving, and I just- I don’t want to regret it, you know? I don’t want to spend years miserable because we got stuck like this, and I’m still trying to figure out how to make that work.”

 

             “Oh?”

 

             Lena looked up and sighed as she gave Kara a grim smile, “we went to bed last night as two separate people, and everything changed overnight, and now … we’ll never be the same again. Everything we ever wanted for ourselves has been ripped away from us, and I don’t … I don’t want that to mean that I can’t be myself. From now on … it’s not just _me_ , it’s both of us. I’m not good at that, Kara.”

 

             Kara swallowed the lump in her throat and felt her eyes burn slightly; she’d been thinking about it all last night. From the moment the paparazzi had shown up, she had known that it was the end of everything. In some ways, for her it had started when her family was killed, but at least she’d only had to give up a few things to take the crown – with Lena, she had to give up everything else that remained. Whatever one of them wanted to do now, they would have to do it together, and Kara knew that she would have to do it, because she wouldn’t deny Lena things that made her happy all because they’d been thrown together like this. They would have to play the part of a real couple, which meant being on each other’s side, no matter what. A thought flashed across Kara’s mind and she had to ball her hands into fists as tried to suppress the wave of emotion that washed over her.

 

             “Lena?” Kara quietly asked, and her tone was so small that Lena raised her sunglasses so that Kara could see her eyes. “What happens if we fall in love? With someone else.”

 

             Closing her eyes, Lena let out a shaky breath and ran a hand over her weary face, “I don’t know.”


	12. Chapter 12

             Kara spent another two days at Thorul, drinking tea with Lena, Lex and Lillian, which was as awkward as it sounded, and one day she went to Lena’s estate again and they sat silently in Lena’s rooms while she worked on paperwork and Kara absentmindedly sketched the view out the window to pass the time. Lena wasn’t much of a conversationalist unless it was necessary to talk, and Kara respected that and tried to keep her babbling to a minimum, taking hints from Lena’s exasperated sighs and pointed looks whenever Kara would start babbling on about some nonsense.

 

             They didn’t make a spectacle when Kara and her party left, choosing to say goodbye within in the palace so that they wouldn’t have to put on a full show. Lex and Lillian kissed Kara on both cheeks and loudly spoke about how they would see her soon – for the benefit of the staff nearby – and Kara pressed a soft kiss to Lena’s cheek and gave her a loose hug, which Lena limply returned. With small smiles, they parted ways, with the intention of seeing each other in three weeks, and a small part of Kara was relieved that she wouldn’t have to pretend for a while. The perk of their relationship was that they lived in different countries, and so at least now that everything would be settling after the coronation tour, they wouldn’t have to see each other all the time. Just for official events and parties, and perhaps once or twice a week.

 

             She went to America first, meeting with the President and the rest of her cabinet, before taking a day or two to go shopping and visit a children’s hospital for some good press. After that they went to Canada, and then to Daxam, where she had to suffer through dinner with Prince Mon-El, and on and on the stops went. Until two weeks later, when she left London in favour of Paris, with the news that Lena was already at a ski lodge in the far north. It was surprising to Kara, but she actually couldn’t wait to have a few days alone, skiing and getting away from official business, even if it meant that she had to pretend with Lena.

 

             Arriving at the resort near the bottom of the mountain, Kara smiled widely as she took her first steps onto the snow. She hadn’t been skiing for months, and she was actually excited to give the mountain a run, especially since she hadn’t been on these slopes before. First, she had to see Lena though, and put on a big display for the other guests at the resort. No doubt a few reporters were already sniffing around, knowing that Lena was here, and knowing that Kara would soon be in France. They would be hoping to sneak some photos of the two of them reuniting after three weeks apart, and as Kara was quickly led to the front doors of the wooden lodge, she took a deep breath and plastered an excited smile on her face.

 

             She had called Lena yesterday – the first time since she’d left Thorul – and they had planned out how everything would go, so when she walked in to a big fuss from the staff and a few photographers trying to act like they were just normal guests, Kara looked around expectantly. She spotted Lena reading by the fire, looking more relaxed than she normally did, and Kara let her smile grow slightly. Lena didn’t look up until the sound of a little girl shouting in excitement caught her attention.

 

             “Mommy, it’s the queen!” she exclaimed, pointing at Kara, who let out a small laugh as the girl ran over to her, finding her way barred by Kara’s security.

 

             “Oh come on,” Kara sighed, “ _she’s_ not going to hurt me.”

 

             Alex let out a snort of laughter from behind Kara, “well, she’s almost as tall as Maggie, so she might give her a run for her money if she _does_.”

 

             Kara bit back a smile as she saw Maggie bristle at the teasing, and crouched down as the little girl was let through. “Hi,” Kara smiled at her, holding out her hand, “my name’s Kara.”

 

             To her surprise, the little girl threw herself at Kara, wrapping her arms tightly around her neck, and Kara let out a laugh, giving her a quick squeeze in return, while the girl’s mom apologised from behind the guards. At the little girl’s request, Kara quickly scrawled her on a piece of the resort’s stationary that was procured, and watched her bounce off to her mom, yelling her thanks over her shoulder as she glowed with happiness. Climbing to her feet, Kara turned her attention to Lena, who had risen from her seat and was smirking slightly at Kara. They met halfway, and Kara gave her a long hug, trying not to hold her too tight because she knew that Lena would hate it, and kissed the side of Lena’s head, before pulling back and giving her a proper kiss.

 

             “I guess we know who’ll be raising the children,” Lena muttered in Kara’s ear, making her laugh nervously. “It looks like our reunion has been overshadowed,”

 

             “Well, we can’t have that,” Kara whispered, smiling slightly, before she cupped Lena’s cheeks and placed another kiss on her lips, smiling into it as she felt Lena grimace slightly before kissing her back. Breaking off the kiss, Kara took Lena’s hand in her own and dragged her back over to the fire, picking up Lena’s abandoned book and sitting down, raising her eyebrows suggestively as she patted her knee. Lena rolled her eyes slightly, before she sat down on Kara’s lap at an angle and held a hand out for her book, which Kara obligingly handed to her with a small smile. Resting her hand on Lena’s knee, a wary look in her eyes as she looked at Lena, making sure she was okay with the contact, Kara kept her small smile in place.

 

             “I didn’t take you for a Tolstoy kind of person. How’ve you been?”

 

             Lena leant towards Kara, trying to make it look more intimate, “Russian royalty happens to be fascinating, and bloody fantastic. Yourself?”

 

             “Better than I have in a while,” Kara admitted, “but tired of the politics and politeness.”

 

             “Well, at least you can spend a few days relaxing and not having to pretend like you care – oh wait, no, sorry, this is your life now,” Lena said in a low voice, giving her a tight smile that would’ve been believable to anyone who couldn’t hear the bitterness in her voice.

 

             Kara returned the smile, “well, you’re somewhat more bearable than old white men who think that I shouldn’t be queen, purely because I’m a woman.”

 

             “Only somewhat? And I thought my excellent company was starting to grow on you,” Lena snorted, her eyes sparkling with amusement. She brushed Kara’s hair out of her face, stroking her cheek once, and then climbed to her feet as she held out her hand. “Come on, they should have you all checked in by now,” Lena said, her voice rising slightly, “and you promised me some snowboarding.”

 

             “ _I’m_ skiing,” Kara corrected her as she let Lena pull her to her feet, “what’s your aversion to it anyway?”

 

             Lena winced slightly, lacing their fingers together and slowly leading her over to where Lyra was checking Kara and her party in. “I came here once when I was a teenager, and there was this man. He thought he’d show off and go on the big slope, but his skis got stuck under a rock hidden by some snow. The skis stopped, and, well, he didn’t, and snapped both of his legs, and it turning me off skis for life. Luckily, you can’t snap your legs if you fall forward on a snowboard, so you just get a faceful of snow.”

 

             Kara stared at her in horror, “I think I might have to take up snowboarding.”

 

             Lena gave her a slight smirk, “well I’m not going to let you slow me down, so you’d better keep up if you’re switching to snowboarding.”

 

             “Um, _me_ slow _you_ down? I don’t think so. I bet I could ski circles around you, princess,” Kara scoffed.

 

             “Oh please, I bet you’re all too bloody prim and proper, and ski with perfect fucking form,” Lena snorted, “just like show jumping, and ballroom lessons and gymnastics when you were too focused on making sure you followed the rules to let yourself go wild.”

 

             “I always won though,” Kara said, tilting her head to the side as she looked down at Lena, “and I didn’t realise you paid so much attention to me.”

 

             Lena rolled her eyes, “don’t flatter yourself. Everyone put you up on a pedestal – the perfect Princess of Krypton. You were on almost every team, and in a dozen clubs, and everyone at school idolised you. You think they would have the guts to let you lose?”

 

             Kara stopped walking, giving Lena a wounded look as the other girl turned to see why she had stopped. “Are you saying that they _let_ me win?”

 

             Shrugging, Lena nodded, “well … yeah.”

 

             “What about the time you placed first in show jumping, the year that we were at school together.”

 

             “I said _they_ idolised you, not me,” Lena said with a smirk, “I’m happy to prove it to you again though, if you’d like to make things interesting.”

 

             With a wary look on her face, Kara nodded, leaning in close to whisper in Lena’s ear, “fine. If I win, you have to admit that you like me more than you’re willing to admit.”

 

             Lena scoffed, “fine, but _when_ I win, you have to be quiet for an hour. No talking at _all_.”

 

             Kara pouted as she frowned, “fine.”

 

             “Then let’s get our gear,” Lena said, a determined look on her face and a challenge in her eyes. Kara’s face split into a matching smile, and she carried on walking, dragging Lena with her as she was led to her room.

 

\---

 

             Bundled up in her snow gear, Kara was sitting on the ski lift next to Lena, two skis strapped to her feet as she bounced up and down in impatient excitement. The side of the mountain was spread out before them, and Kara smiled widely at the expanse of white stretching out before her, leading up to the top. She was never one to back down from a challenge, and she was anxious to reach the top as quickly as possible so that she could prove to Lena that she _could_ beat her.

 

             “Can you stop bouncing the bloody chair,” Lena snapped, and Kara stilled, giving Lena a sheepish smile.

 

             “Sorry, I’m excited.”

 

             “No shit,” Lena huffed, “just calm it until we get to the top, okay?”

 

             Kara’s forehead furrowed in concern, and then her eyes widened in realisation. “You’re afraid of heights.”

 

             “When we’re dangling fifty feet in the air, yeah I am.”

 

             Biting back a smile, Kara looked over the side, watching the skiers slide down the mountain, weaving in and out of pine trees and rocks with ease. She was surprised that Lena would so readily admit that she was afraid of heights, and felt a little bit bad about how much she’d been bouncing the chair in her impatience. They reached the top of the mountain a few minutes later, hopping off the chair lift and shuffling over to Maggie, who had come up with Alex to ensure that the two royals would be safe once they reached the top. Hector would be following them up with another guard, and everyone else had decided to stay at the lodge and enjoy their morning beside the fire, rather than freezing their asses off in the snow.

 

             “You ready?” Kara asked Alex, smiling widely at her sister.

 

             “Mhm,” Alex said, “I’ll meet you down the bottom. Be careful.”

 

             Lena laughed, pulling her goggles down over her eyes and pulling up a scarf over her mouth and nose. “Don’t break your legs.”

 

             She didn’t wait for a reply, before she shifted her weight and awkwardly shuffled over to the edge of the slope and started down the side of the mountain, leaving Kara shouting protests as she hurriedly slid herself after her.

 

             “That’s cheating!” Kara yelled, and she heard Alex laughing from behind her, while Maggie scrambled for one of the snowmobiles to follow the furious queen down the mountain. Lena was only a dozen metres ahead of Kara, trying to pick up speed with her snowboard, and Kara pushed herself forward as fast as possible with her poles. She picked up traction quicker than Lena did, and was soon gaining on her. The feeling of the freezing cold wind on her cheeks was bracing, and Kara let out an exhilarated laugh as her skis easily slid over the top of the snow and she picked up speed.

 

             Spurring herself onwards, Kara grinned as she caught up to Lena, and then flew past her, angling herself so she cut in front of Lena, a few metres ahead. Kara heard the sound of swearing from behind her, laughing as she looked over her shoulder and saw that Lena had been forced to angle herself slightly so that she didn’t run into Kara, slowing down in the process. “That’s cheating!” Lena yelled.

 

             “Sorry!” Kara laughed, leaving Lena behind to shout curses at her back.

 

             Lena chased her down the rest of the way, trying to catch up to Kara, but in the end, Kara beat her by only a few metres. She came to a grinding halt, smiling as she unstrapped her skis and turned around to face Lena, her eyes widening in surprise as she watched Lena rush towards her, spraying snow everywhere as she skidded. She barrelled straight into Kara, and the momentum knocked them both down into the snow, one of them laughing, while the other one glared down from on top of her. “You cheated!” Lena exclaimed, her eyebrows drawn together in a scowl.

 

             “I still won,” Kara laughed, reaching up to rub away Lena’s scowl with a gloved hand. They were near the resort, and there would be people watching. “Now, I believe you owe me a few words.”

 

             “Bollocks! I don’t owe you anything. You cheated.”

 

             “Well you didn’t say I _couldn’t_ ,” Kara smiled, trying to look as innocent as possible.

 

             Lena pursed her lips as she frowned, “well I thought it was a given.”

 

             “Come on, Lena, it’s just a bit of fun,” Kara sighed, “now kiss me and make it look like we’re having a sweet little moment laying in the snow, and then please get off me before my sister comes shooting down and piles on top.”

 

             Sighing, Lena pulled down her scarf and placed a kiss to Kara’s frozen lips, their teeth chattering and lips trembling. Pushing herself up onto her elbows, Kara patiently waited for Lena to roll off her, made slightly difficult by the snowboard still strapped to her feet. Laughing, Kara pushed herself upright and then shifted to help unstrap Lena’s snowboard and pull her to her feet.

 

             “Ready to go again?”

 

             “No, you’ve spoilt my fun now,” Lena snapped.

 

             Kara sighed, “oh come on, Lena, you’re the one who likes to break the rules.”

 

             “We made a bet – that’s different.”

 

             “Fine, how about we go inside then before we freeze to death, hm?”

 

             Fetching her abandoned skis and poles, Kara scrambled to follow after Lena, who had stalked off with her snowboard over her shoulder. Catching up to her, Kara pulled it off her and awkwardly fumbled with the skis and snowboard as they walked back towards the beckoning warmth of the ski lodge. A wave of heat washed over them as soon as they walked through the front doors, and both girls started to shiver less as they unzipped their jackets and pulled off gloves. They had rooms opposite each other, and they parted ways outside their doors, both of them seeking a hot shower and a change of clothes. Lena didn’t say a word as she unlocked her door and walked inside, slamming it shut behind her, and Kara felt slightly bad about cheating. She’d only meant to have a bit of fun, but she knew it was more to do with the fact that she teased Lena that really bothered her.

 

             After a quick shower, Kara dressed in a warm shirt, sweater and pants, before calling Lyra and having her make plans for her. Half an hour later, Kara was trying to bypass Lena’s assistant, Jess, and get into her room. Apparently Lena was still sulking. Jess relented and let Kara in though when she told her of her plans, and slipped out after her, deciding that her services would be unnecessary if Lena was going to be busy with Kara. Taking a deep breath, Kara knocked on the door to Lena’s bedroom, and patiently waited for her to open up. She opened the door with a pointed look on her face, looking refreshed and warm from her shower, and Kara gave her a sheepish smile. “Hi.”

 

             “Can I help you?”

 

             “I’m sorry I cheated, and as an apology, I’ve booked us some time at the spa.”

 

             Lena’s eyebrows shot up, “the spa?”

 

             “ _Two_ hours, no talking, just relaxing massages and facials,” Kara said, giving Lena a bright smile, “what do you say?”

 

             Hesitating for a moment, Lena narrowed her eyes at Kara, before sighing. “Fine.”

 

             With a relieved smile, Kara walked towards the door and Lena followed after her. With their guards in tow, they walked through the resort, passing Alex and Astra who were drinking coffee in the lobby, and on towards the spa part of the lodge. They were greeted by a French woman, who politely dipped her head to them both, and left them alone in the private room with two fluffy white robes and matching slippers. They were silent for a moment as they both stared at the robes, and then Lena turned to Kara. “When you said spa day … what kind of package did you get?”

 

             Her eyes widening, Kara nervously pushed her glasses up her nose as she stared at the robe. “Couples.”

 

             “Fuck.”

 

             “I didn’t think!” Kara exclaimed, her face turning red.

 

             Pinching the bridge of her nose, Lena sighed heavily. “What, you didn’t think that on a spa day you have to strip off your fucking clothes and wear a bloody robe which has to regularly come off? Which you would have to do together on a couple’s package?”

 

             “No, I didn’t think that,” Kara snapped. “I was trying to be nice.”

 

             Letting out another sigh, Lena kicked one of her shoes off, “fuck it.”

 

             “What?”

 

             “Just take your fucking clothes off, you plonker,” Lena hissed, kicking off the other show, “and don’t pissing look.”

 

             Hesitating, Kara shrugged and kicked her own shoes off, grabbing a robe and turning around as she began to strip off her clothes. A few minutes later, she was wearing the white fluffy robe and slipping her feet into the matching slippers, patiently waiting until she could turn around again.

 

             “Are you done?”

 

             “Yes.”

 

             They both bundled up their clothes and left them in neat piles in the changing room, before they emerged and walked over to the waiting staff member. To Kara’s surprise, Lena burst into French, too quick for Kara to follow, as they were led into the next room in the spa. Two women nodded to them and they were quickly seated and had towels tightly wrapped around their heads and mud masks applied to their faces, before they were left alone to climb into the mud baths. Looking at each other, Kara motioned for Lena to go first and then squeezed her eyes shut.

 

             “Okay, my eyes are closed,” Lena said a few moments later, and Kara quickly disrobed and climbed into the mud.

 

             And so the two girls spent the next two hours relaxing in mud, sweating out all their toxins in a sauna, having their skin scrubbed clean and massaged with scented oils, and throughout the whole thing, Kara didn’t say a word. By the end of it, Lena looked less tense, and as they made their way back to the changing room with their clothes, turning their backs on each other and quickly dressing, Lena hesitated before they left. Reaching out, Lena touched Kara on the arm, and she looked up in surprise at the casual contact. “Hey, thank you for this,” Lena murmured, and Kara gave her a warm smile, her eyes crinkling at the corners as she nodded slightly.

 

             “Don’t mention it.”

 

             “And, for what it’s worth, I admit that I like you a _tiny_ bit more than I let one.”

 

             Kara let out a quick laugh, shaking her head as she opened the door for Lena and waved her through it first. They were met by Maggie and Hector, who both dipped their heads and fell into step behind the two girls as they walked back through the ski lodge. As they passed by a few more of the spa workers, Lena burst into a torrent of French, and Kara picked up ‘thank you’ amongst a few other words. The language seemed to fall naturally from Lena’s lips and she was surprised again.

 

             “I thought you said you learnt Latin,” Kara said, giving Lena a puzzled look.

 

             Lena snorted with laughter, “well, as much as I wanted to piss my mom off, I thought learning a useful one would be … well, useful. I speak six languages, excluding English.”

 

             “Hm,” Kara mused, narrowing her eyes slightly at Lena, “you’re not as rebellious as you might think.”

 

             “Oh, I can assure you, I am,” Lena said, arching an eyebrow at her, “you’ve just never seen it. It used to drive my mom mad, which was half of the fun.”

 

             “And the other half?”

 

             A slow smile spread across Lena’s face, “the other half was purely fun. Perhaps I'll even let you join in one day.”

 

\---

 

             Kara ate with Lena, Alex and Astra that night in one of the restaurants at the resort, enjoying the French cuisine while they talked over glasses of wine. Afterwards, her aunt retired for the evening, having some phone calls to make with officials before bed, and the three girls found themselves at the bar, with another bottle of wine. Maggie was standing guard nearby, and Hector was on the far side of the room, and Kara sighed. “Sawyer,” Kara softly called, and Maggie took a step forward, bowing slightly.

 

             “Your Majesty.”

 

             Kara plucked a clean glass from the table and poured some wine. “Sit. Drink some wine. You always look out of place, just standing around.”

 

             Maggie flashed her dimples as she smiled, politely nodding her head. “Forgive me, Your Majesty, but I can’t drink while I’m on duty.”

 

             “Please, your duty was supposed to finish hours ago. Sunrise til sunset, right? Have a drink with us, I insist.”

 

             Relenting, Maggie pulled the fourth chair out and accepted the wine off Kara with a thank you and a slight bow of her head. With interest, Kara watched the way that her sister perked up, glancing at the bodyguard out of the corner of her eye as she took a sip of wine. She’d long since suspected that there was something more to her sister and bodyguard, and not only because they seemed to be on a first name basis, and she was hoping to see if she was right. Despite being surrounded by three nobles, Maggie seemed at ease, and was quick to joke with Alex, although remained politely reserved towards Kara and Lena. Kara was enjoying herself so much, that it was almost midnight when she retired for the night, with her and Lena being led back to their rooms by Hector, while Alex and Maggie stayed at the bar for a little while longer, finishing off the third bottle of wine they’d ordered.

 

             Kara hesitated as Lena opened the door and dismissed Hector for the night, and she blinked in surprise when Lena grabbed her hand and dragged Kara into her room. Shutting the door behind her, Lena let out a sigh, gesturing to the sofa in the main living room of the suite. “Make yourself at home.”

 

             “Um, what?”

 

             “There’s a security camera at both ends of the hallway,” Lena briskly explained, “no doubt the footage of us will leak. We haven’t seen each other in three weeks – what do you think they’ll expect us to be doing?”

 

             Kara’s eyes widened in surprise, and her face turned bright red, “oh … _oh_.”

 

             “Yeah.”

 

             “But I was going to go to bed,” Kara said, grimacing slightly.

 

             Rolling her eyes slightly, Lena gestured to the sofa again, “well you’re welcome to sleep on my sofa for a few hours, before you go back to your room.”

 

 _“Hours?!”_ Kara softly exclaimed.

 

             “Well I can’t have them thinking I’m _that_ quick at it,” Lena said, clearing her throat slightly. “Would you like another drink before bed?”

 

             Kara shrugged carelessly, before nodding and accepting a glass of brandy off Lena. She took a sip and tried not to gag on it, coughing slightly as she choked it down, much to Lena’s amusement. They sat side by side on the sofa, both of them nursing their drinks as they stared into the embers burning low in the fireplace, and Kara peeked at Lena out of the corner of her eyes.

 

             “Lena,” she quietly murmured, interrupting the other girl’s thoughts. Lena looked up with an expectant look on her face, taking a sip of her brandy and leaning against the pillows. Kara hesitated, unsure how to continue. “What you said earlier, about, ah, children … did you ever want kids?”

 

             Letting out a surprised laugh, Lena smiled at Kara, shaking her head slightly. “No. I’ve never really liked them. I mean, I visit children’s hospitals all the time for charity work, and I’m not a dick to them, but … my own? No.”

 

             “So, when you say that I’ll raise them …”

 

             Sighing, Lena knocked back the rest of her drink. “To be honest, Kara, I’d rather not think about it until the time comes. Yes, I know it’s in the contract, and yes, I know they’ll be your heir, but … I don’t know how to raise a fucking child. I only have my mom and dad to base it off, and they did a bang up job, didn’t they?” She let out a snort of laughter at the end, indicating that she thought they’d done anything but.

 

             “You’re not them.”

 

             “I know,” Lena sighed, taking Kara’s drink off her and pouring half into her glass, before she took a sip of it. “But I don’t want to raise a child. What if I fuck up like my parents? No, I’d rather let someone else love them and care for them; someone good.”

 

             “Lena-“

 

             “Come on, Kara,” Lena said, giving her a strained smile, “do I look like the maternal type? Sure, I’ll spoil them rotten and take them on vacation, but do I look like the kind of person who’s going to read bedtime stories and show up at piano recitals?”

 

             Kara shrugged, pursing her lips as she fiddled with the glass in her hand. She drained the rest of her drink, putting the glass down on the coffee table, and turning to Lena. “All I know is that two parents are better than one, and even one is better than none. You might not get along with your mom, and I don’t blame you for that, but … don’t cut yourself out of our kid’s life before you even give it a try.”

 

             Lena let out a loud groan, which turned into a pained laugh as she threw her head back against the cushions and squeezed her eyes shut, “can you _believe_ we’re having a conversation about raising our fucking hypothetical child? Please, tell me this is not what you thought you would be doing with your life.”

 

             A surprised laugh bubbled up, and Kara clapped a hand over her mouth. “Well, I always imagined I’d be talking about hypothetical children with the person I was in love with, so no, this isn’t exactly how I pictured it.”

 

             “Well, my mother always says I have a knack for disappointing people, so I guess I’m finally living up to her expectations,” Lena said with a wry smile. She drained the rest of her glass and climbed to her feet. “You should get some rest. I’ll wake you when you can leave.”

 

             Kara murmured a goodnight to her, and stretched out on the sofa, closing her eyes and listening to the sound of Lena quietly move around the room. She ended up falling asleep to the sound of fingers typing away at a keyboard, and a pen scrawling away on paper, as Lena got up to God knows what. When she woke again, it was to a gentle hand shaking her awake, and Kara yawned as she sat upright, taking in the blanket that was draped over her as it pooled around her waist. Lena was stood over her, and she took her glasses off as Kara climbed to her feet.

 

             “What time is it?” Kara blearily asked, squinting slightly when she realised that her own glasses had been misplaced. A warm hand pressed them into hers, and Kara realised that Lena must have removed them for her, and Kara blinked in surprise when she realised she must’ve done it when she’d brought her a blanket.

 

             “Two,” Lena muttered, the dark circles under her eyes indicating that she hadn’t slept yet. “Come here.” Kara frowned slightly, but moved closer, letting Lena quickly untuck her shirt from her pants, and then go to the top buttons.

 

             “What’re you doing?” Kara asked, watching Lena unbutton her shirt and then button them back up wrong, before mussing up Kara’s hair.

 

             Lena paused, giving her a pointed look, “we’re supposed to look like we just had a night of wild sex, what do you think I’m doing?”

 

             “Oh God,” Kara sighed, shaking her head slightly.

 

             Rolling her eyes, Lena started running her fingers through her own hair, and then beckoned Kara closer. “Smudge my lipstick.”

 

             “What?”

 

             “What do you mean what? Smudge my bloody lipstick,” Lena impatiently told her, and Kara frowned slightly as she reached up and rubbed her thumb over Lena’s bottom lip. Letting out a frustrated groan, Lena slapped her hand away. “With your _mouth_ , Kara.”

 

             Feeling herself blush slightly, Kara gave Lena a sheepish smile, “oh, yeah, right, of course. That makes more sense.” Leaning in, Kara placed a kiss to Lena’s lips, which were pressed together, and she pulled back again slightly. “It’s going to be easier if you open your mouth a little and actually kiss me back.”

 

             Sighing, Lena indicated for Kara to kiss her again, and then they sloppily kissed, trying to smudge Lena’s red lipstick as much as possible so that it would be seen on the security camera footage. When they broke apart, they were both slightly flushed and looked away from each other as they pressed their lips together, and Kara subtly tried to wipe Lena’s lipstick off her own mouth.

 

             “Right, well, um, I guess that’s all sorted,” Kara lamely said, breaking the silence.

 

             Lena gave her a slight frown and walked over to the door, while Kara followed after her and slipped past her. She lingered outside the doorway for a second, giving Lena a slight smile, before she pulled her out of her room slightly and kissed her in full sight of the cameras, both of them willing themselves not to look into one of them.

 

             “Goodnight, Lena.”

 

             “Sleep well,” Lena murmured, watching to make sure Kara was safely in her room before she shut the door.


	13. Chapter 13

             They only stayed two days at the ski resort, and one day in Paris, before Kara flew to Spain for the next stop on her coronation tour, leaving Lena to go back to Thorul and go about her life while she waited for the next meeting. It would be in another three weeks, in Greece, they finally decided on, and Kara was already planning ahead, trying to think of ways to amp of their false romance for the cameras that would be lurking around. She only called Lena once during the three weeks, just to ensure that everything was going according to plan, and after a few awkward minutes of agreeing with things in forced politeness, Lena hung up. Finishing the rest of the tour in Eastern Europe, Kara landed in Santorini to the welcoming warmth of the Mediterranean late summer. She had already spent two days in Athens, meeting with all of the officials, before flying to the island to meet with Lena.

 

             As she exited the private jet, she was met with camera flashes from the press waiting on the airstrip, and she gave them a smile and wave as she descended the steps, basking in the hot sun that beat down on her. Lena was waiting for her at their hotel in a coastal town called Oia. Kara was quickly bundled into the waiting car, and they set off towards the town, watching out the window as the view flashed by, with Kara smiling brightly and pointing out every new thing to Alex and Astra. It took a while to reach the town, and Kara was struck by the beauty of the village. It was a bustling photogenic maze of small shops, restaurants and cafés, with spectacular views of the caldera that the town perched high above, and the rest of the island. Most of the buildings were a blinding white, with a few other pastel coloured ones thrown in, and the whole town was accented in a brilliant blue that was only rivalled by the water below them. The bookshops, museums and shops flew past as they drove through the warren of streets, making their way towards the hotel.

 

             Soon enough, they were pulling up outside the white building, and Kara smiled brightly, taking in a deep breath and smelling the salt of the sea as the gentle breeze rustled her hair. The next week could be relaxing, as long as Lena was on her best behaviour – which wasn’t exactly saying much – and Kara felt her happiness falter slightly, knowing that _something_ was bound to go wrong. It was never easy when it came to Lena. Walking into the blindingly white hotel, Kara was greeted by a number of staff, who all smiled widely at her and welcomed her. Lena was nowhere to be found, and while Lyra spoke to the person behind the desk, Kara looked around the lobby. A few moments later one of the staff members was hurrying to show her to her room, and Kara walked slightly ahead of the man, following his directions until they came to a door. She spotted Hector nearby and gave him a confused smile, while her own party began to disperse.

 

             Handing her a key card with a slight bow, the man gestured to the room, and once Lyra slipped him a tip at Kara’s nod, he backed off, thanking her and smiling widely. Kara looked around again, watching as everyone made for their own rooms, except Maggie, who stood next to the door. Kara frowned slightly, turning to Hector.

 

             “Is this my room or Lena’s?”

 

             He cleared his throat and shifted slightly, “it is both, Your Majesty. Lady Astra had Her Highness’ assistant, Jess, book a room for the two of you … to share.”

 

             Choking back a sound of surprise, Kara whipped her head around to look at her aunt’s retreating back, and catching Alex’s apologetic smile as she realised what had happened. Kara knew that Alex wouldn’t have known, because she trusted that her sister would tell her. With a sigh, Kara swiped the card in the lock and heard an audible click, before she pushed it open and walked inside.

 

             “Lena?” she tentatively called out, taking a few steps inside and letting the door swing shut behind her. She heard the sound of someone moving on the balcony and made her way over to the open door, feeling a warm breeze come in with the smell of the sea as she approached it. Poking her head outside, Kara saw Lena sitting up and setting a book down, two earbuds dangling from a hand as she looked at Kara from behind her sunglasses.

 

             “So, you’ve been filled in on our living situation for the next week?” Lena bitterly said, giving her a wry smile.

 

             “More like thrown into it,” Kara nervously laughed, taking a step out onto the balcony. “How’ve you been?”

 

             Lena shrugged, climbing to her feet and walking towards Kara. “Same as ever, and yourself?”

 

             “Fine,” Kara said, giving her a slight smile, before she cast a look out over the balcony, shading her eyes from the harsh sunlight that her sunglasses didn’t stop. “Do you think that there are photographers around?”

 

             “Undoubtedly,” Lena said, “they’ve been taking my bloody photo non-stop ever since I got here last night.”

 

             Kara turned and gave her a slight grimace, slightly angling away from the view so that anyone snapping pictures wouldn’t see, and she held out a hand for Lena, pulling her close with a pointed look; if there was someone watching, they would expect a kiss. Bringing her lips down on Lena’s, Kara gingerly held her by the waist and angled them to give their hidden audience a good look. Pulling back, Kara reached out and brushed Lena’s hair out of her face, giving her an overly bright smile as Lena put her arms around Kara’s neck, trying to look like they were having an intimate moment.

 

             “How was your flight?”

 

             “Good,” Kara said, “what would you like to do today?”

 

             Hesitating, Lena stared out at the deep blue water with a thoughtful look on her face, and then she turned back to Kara. “How about we just explore the town?”

 

             “Sounds good to me. I saw this little bookshop that looked amazing,” Kara said, smiling brightly at Lena. “I’ll just freshen up and then we can head out.” Lena nodded and followed Kara back into their room, lounging on one of the white sofas while she waited for Kara to get ready. Walking through the huge room, Kara let out a relieved sigh when she saw that there were multiple rooms – multiple _beds_ – and she walked into the one that was empty of any personal belongings. Taking a moment to fix her hair and reapply her lipstick in the bathroom mirror, Kara quickly walked back out to the main living area and fetched her bag. A few minutes later they were making their way out to the car waiting for them and heading towards the main street of the town.

 

             They spent the rest of the day wandering through the town, hand in hand, while they peered into the small shops, buying a few books each, visiting a small museum and gallery, eating lunch at a small café that had a multi-coloured earning giving them enough shade to sit at one of the tables and chairs outside and watch the shoppers go about their day. By the time they made it back to the hotel, the sun was setting and they were both exhausted from a day spent out in the heat. Back in their room, they both took quick showers, before dressing for the evening, and Kara gave Lena an uncertain look as she came out in a black dress.

 

             “Hey, um, before we go to dinner, did you want to, uh, watch the sunset?”

 

             Lena arched an eyebrow and gave Kara an amused look, “if you’d like.”

 

             “I mean, it’ll look all romantic, right?”

 

             “I guess so.” Giving her a slight smile, Kara waved her through the open door, and Lena walked over to the low white wall, leaning on the edge of it as she looked out at the brown cliffs that gave way to an endless stretch of blue water. “It really is beautiful, isn’t it?”

 

             Kara made a sound of agreement, snapping a quick photo of Lena for her Instagram, before she walked up behind her, hesitating slightly. “Don’t freak out,” Kara murmured, and Lena turned her head slightly to look at her as Kara put her hands on the wall, either side of Lena, and stood close behind her. Letting out a soft snort of laughter, Lena closed her eyes for a moment, before giving Kara a tight smile.

 

             “So I have a surprise planned for tomorrow,” Kara said after a moment.

 

             Lena turned her head so she could see Kara, arching her eyebrows expectantly. “Well? What is it? 

 

             “I just told you; it’s a surprise. So, there’s a restaurant called Ambrosia … would you like to eat there tonight?” Kara asked, fumbling for anything to talk about while she stood extremely close to Lena. She watched the wind play with a lock of Lena’s hair, and she reached out and gently brushed it away, her fingers skimming the side of Lena’s neck. Before she lost her nerve, she placed a kiss to the side of Lena’s neck, and a quick flash told her that somewhere, a photographer had gotten a picture of it.

 

             Lena let out a shuddering breath, her shoulders tensing slightly at the feeling of Kara’s lips on her neck. “Food of the Gods? Sounds great.”

 

             “Great,” Kara agreed, “sorry, I just though I’d take the chance. Give a show and all that.”

 

             “Mm,” Lena mused, “well, they definitely got a photo of it. Oh look, another idiot with their flash on.” They both laughed as they watched a few more flashes go off in the approaching darkness. Watching the sky fade from orange and pink to a dark blue, the two girls made small talk, not moving until the the sun had well and truly disappeared. As soon as it was too dark for any onlookers to take their photo from that distance, Kara stepped away from Lena, and the two of them walked through the suite and out into the hallway.

 

\---

 

             Kara was woken up early the next morning by the sound of a shower running, and she groaned as she shoved a pillow over her head. The sound of Lena moving around made it impossible to go back to sleep though, as she seemingly made as much noise as possible, which Kara suspected she might’ve been doing on purpose.

 

             “Jesus Christ,” Kara yelped, “why are you walking around in your _lingerie?”_

             Lena looked up from the newspaper – Kara somehow noticed that it was in Greek as she intently stared at it instead of Lena, and assumed that it was one of the seven languages Lena knew – a look of irritation on her face. She was wearing a thin black silk nightdress that came came down to mid-thigh and was trimmed with lace. “They’re pyjamas, Kara,” she brusquely corrected her, taking in Kara’s long sleeved pastel pink shirt, buttoned with pearls, and the matching pants, “besides, not all of us sleep in fucking tuxes.”

 

             Blushing as she looked down at her own pyjamas, Kara turned back around and walked into her room, shouting over her shoulder. “Put some pants on.”

 

             “No. I’m on holiday.”

 

             Grumbling, Kara walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower, deciding on a very cool one as she stripped off her pyjamas and stepped under the water. She quickly showered, feeling a little less twitchy after the cold water soothed her hot skin – it was boiling and she probably should’ve asked Lyra to pack cooler pyjamas – and climbed out of the shower. Dressing in a bikini and loose t-shirt dress, Kara slipped on some sandals and fetched her bag, before walking out to the living room. Lena had moved in the time it had taken Kara to get ready, dressed and sitting back at the table as she finished reading the newspaper.

 

             “Where’s your bikini?” Kara asked, frowning as she took in the casual backless dress that Lena wore, with no evidence of swimwear beneath it.

 

             “Does it look like I fucking sunbathe?” Lena snorted, keeping her eyes on the paper.

 

             “Well there were those phot- never mind.”

 

             Letting out a quick laugh, Lena looked up and smirked at Kara, “you saw my topless photos? How sweet.”

 

             “I didn’t _see_ them, I just- I saw the headlines … and the censored ones.”

 

             “Well that’s a shame,” Lena teased, pouting her lips slightly and enjoying herself too much as she watched Kara squirm beneath her look. “I looked good.”

 

             Kara could feel herself blushing scarlet, and she cleared her throat as she looked at the floor. “Well good for you, but you’ll still need to wear a bikini where we’re going – even if you’re not going to sunbathe.”

 

             “Where _are_ we going?”

 

             “I told you last night, it’s a surprise.”

 

             Sighing, Lena grimaced at her. “Fine,” she snapped, “and for the record, I didn’t know those photographers were there, and I definitely wasn’t topless sunbathing.”

 

             Rolling her eyes, Kara waited for Lena to return, and a few minutes later they were walking through the hotel, smiling for the audience as they pretended that they were having a lovely vacation together. Admittedly, it _had_ been nice so far, but it hadn’t even been twenty-four hours yet, so Kara was still a bit sceptical. Hopefully her surprise would go over well with Lena, but more importantly, with the public.

 

             Only Alex, Maggie and Hector and two other guards accompanied them, and they quickly made their way through the town, with Kara and Lena sat in mostly silence as they listened to the radio – Lena listening intently while Kara tuned out the foreign language. Soon enough they had descended down to the port at the base of the cliffs, and Kara peered out the window at the array of boats tied to the docks, and her eyes landed on the one that she knew was hers. It was a beautiful two mast yacht, the hull of the boat coloured white, while the deck and the long, low cabin were built from beautiful light wood. Three large triangular sails were in the process of being unfurled, and Kara smiled brightly at the sight. The two cars slowed to a stop, and she ordered two of the guards to stay behind, while the five of them made their way down the wooden docks, set before the pastel coloured buildings carved into the side of the cliffs.

 

             Stopping before the yacht, Kara gestured towards it, smiling triumphantly, “what do you think?”

 

             Lena burst into laughter as she took in the yacht, clearly brand new, with her name written on the side in elegant letters. “A yacht?”

 

             “Yes,” Kara said, giving her a hesitant smile, before she started to babble, “I thought … well, my cousin used to take me out on them all the time, and well, I thought you might like it too. Being on the open sea is just … _exhilarating_ , so I thought you would enjoy it, but then I figured that it should be something special, you know? Like, you gave me that necklace, so I thought I should give you a big gift, and what’s more romantic than buying and naming a boat after someone, right? Well … I think it’s a little romantic, even if you don’t, and I thought that when you come and live in Krypton - you know, when we’re married – well, we can go out on it sometimes, during the summer. You can keep it in Thorul though – it’s _your_ yacht.”

 

             As Kara stumbled over her words, Lena watched with a look of amusement on her face, almost as if she was about to burst into laughter again. “Sure, Kara, it’s very romantic.” At the crestfallen look that flashed across Kara’s face, Lena gave her a reassuring smile, “truly, it’s very thoughtful. I’ve never been yachting before, but I’m sure I’ll love it.”

 

             Perking back up, Kara smiled brightly at her, “you like it?”

 

             “I do.”

 

             “Great! I can show you how to sail,” Kara told her, reaching out for Lena’s hand. They walked closer to the boat, watching the waves lap against the hull, and as Kara looked at Lena’s name, she felt a flicker of pride at the fact that she liked her gift. Jess and Lyra both walked over the gangplank, curtsying to the two royals, and Jess handed a bottle of champagne to Lena, along with a small knife. Looking a bit surprised, Lena turned to look at Kara, who shrugged slightly. “You have to christen a boat.”

 

             Shaking her head as she smiled, Lena scraped the knife along the bottle and popped the cork off, setting loose a torrent of champagne, which she directed at the boat and let splash along the side of it. Lyra stepped forward then with a few flutes, and Jess took the bottle off Lena and poured them glasses of champagne, and one for Alex too. Clinking her glass against Lena’s, Kara smiled sightly, lifting it and nodding to her before taking a sip. After a pointed look, Lena gave Kara a quick kiss, and then the five of them climbed aboard, with Kara insisting that Lena go first.

 

             Leaving Lena to explore her new boat, and sending Maggie into the cabin with Alex, Kara quickly spoke to the man on board as he finished readying the yacht for sailing , while Hector stood guard at the top of the gangplank, staring down the tourists who had gathered on the docks to watch the royal couple climb aboard for a day of sailing. With the sails pulled taut, and everything in check, Kara dismissed the man and began to shift the sails and rudder into the right position, while the man untied the ropes, so that the wind nudged them away from the dock. It took a while, but eventually they were skimming the waves as they made their way out of the port.

 

             Kara shouted for Lena to come out of the cabin, and with a loud sigh that preceded her, Lena appeared on deck, shading her eyes from the sun as she picked her way towards Kara, who was stood by the wheel with a smiled on her face. There was something about being on the water, with the sun on her skin and the wind in her face, that made Kara feel free, and she laughed as she watched Lena gingerly steady herself as the yacht gently rocked.

 

             “Are you going to learn to sail or what?” Kara asked her, her eyes sparkling behind her sunglasses.

 

             “Would you like me to crash this very nice yacht you just gave me?” Lena asked, wrinkling her nose as she looked out at the sea. She had a towel draped around her shoulders and she didn’t look too happy about the blistering sun.

 

             Kara laughed, “well, I’ll teach you. I’m a good teacher. You’re going to need to take your towel off though, and stop being so sulky.”

 

             “I’m _not_ sulky,” Lena snapped, “I just don’t like the sun.”

 

             “What, are you afraid of getting a tan?” Kara teased her.

 

             “Uh, no, but I’m scared of fucking skin cancer,” Lena huffed, pulling Kara close and squirting sun tan lotion that she’d brought out with her onto her arm, before roughly rubbing it in. “If you’re going to stand out here like an idiot, you can at least not end up looking like a bloody lobster. I, for one, will _not_ be feeling sympathetic towards you if you come home looking like crispy.”

 

             Biting back a smile, Kara didn’t protest as Lena began squirting more lotion into her hand, and she quickly stripped her dress off and tossed it to the floor. Lena let out a disapproving sound as Kara stood in her bikini, clearly planning on tanning, but kept silent as she rubbed more sun tan lotion on her. Kara willed herself not to blush as Lena’s hands travelled over her stomach, and was mildly surprised that Lena would do it without even being asked, but then she realised that they were still in sight of the docks, and the paparazzi had excellent cameras. Once she was fully covered, she told Lena to take her dress off, and covered her pasty skin with it, before she plucked her own dress off the floor and handed it to Lena. With a wary look on her face, Lena took Kara’s dress off her, muttering a thank you when she realised that it would cover her back and shoulders better than her own.

 

             “Right, well, the steering wheel … it steers.”

 

             “Well spotted,” Lena snarkily replied as she stood next to Kara.

 

             “It steers the _rudder_ ,” Kara continued, giving Lena an exasperated look as she did so, “which steers the boat. You have to turn the rudder the way you want to turn to turn that way, not the opposite way. The sails catch the wind and push us in the direction we want to go. So say we want to angle to the right to head out to the open water, just turn the steering wheel to the right slightly.” She let Lena do it, half scared that Lena would try and capsize them just for a laugh. The boat started to turn slightly, and Kara stood behind Lena, with one hand gingerly placed on her waist. “Good. So then, you have to make sure the sails are positioned properly to the wind.”

 

             They spent half an hour stood there while Kara taught Lena how to sail, before Lena called Hector over to take over. They left the steering in his capable hands and made their way into the cool cabin, where Alex and Maggie were deep in conversation, sheepishly jumping apart and staring at the two girls as they walked in. Smiling slightly at her sister, Kara raised her eyebrows and reached for two bottles of water that Jess and Lyra and stuffed into the fridge when they’d come to set up. Fetching some food and a towel, Kara walked back outside, setting the towel down in the shade of one of the sails and smiling at Lena as she patted the spot beside her. It was still early in the morning, and the two of them enjoyed the breakfast that had been prepared for them as they took in the stretch of blue water before them.

 

             “So, about what you said earlier,” Lena said after a few moments of silence, spearing a piece of watermelon on her fork as she stared at Kara, her eyes unreadable behind her dark lenses. “About me moving to Krypton.”

 

             “Mm?” Kara mumbled, her mouth full of yogurt and muesli as she raised her eyebrows at Lena.

 

             “Well, I just … I hadn’t thought about it like that,” Lena hesitantly said, “I knew we’d be forced to live together, but it didn’t occur to me that you have to stay in Krypton because you’re the queen. That was never part of the plan. It, uh, it got me thinking …”

 

             Kara set her food down and tilted her head to the side as she looked at Lena, “you don’t want to move, do you?”

 

             Lena scoffed, “please. Getting away from my mother and brother would be the greatest gift you could ever give me. No, when the time comes, I’ll move to Krypton. It’s not that that bothers me … it’s _how_ we’ll live.”

 

             “Oh,” Kara said, frowning in confusion, “well you’ll live at the palace with me, of course.”

 

             “Yes, I know,” Lena curtly replied, “ _with you_. As in, this charade will be for our entire lives, Kara. You have maids and cleaners and all sorts of people in and out of your suite, and they will expect us to be a loving married couple.”

 

             “Yes, well, they won’t have to know that it’s all fake.”

 

             Letting out a frustrated sigh, Lena ran her hands through her hair, “Kara, they’re going to expect _me_ to live with you in _your_ quarters, like we’re doing now, on our holiday, _except_ we won’t be able to get away with booking the biggest suite in the hotel, which just so happens to have three bedrooms. You have _one_ bedroom in your rooms, and that only had one bed. There’s going to be no way around that.”

 

             “Oh … you mean … we’ll have to share a bed.”

 

             “Thank fucking Christ,” Lena huffed, “you’re like a wet weekend sometimes.”

 

             “You know, half of the things you call me, I don’t understand,” Kara laughed, scratching the back of her neck as she tried to hide her blush. “It kind of dampens the insult.”

 

             Lena shook her head as she muttered, “whatever, Kara.”

 

             She reached out and laid a gentle hand on Lena’s arm, “hey, it’s fine. We’ll just put a door into the suite next to mine. You can leave enough of your stuff in my room to make it look like we share it, but in the night, you can sleep in your own bed. We can hide the door in the closet of something. It’ll be fine.”

 

             Stiffly nodding, Lena speared a grape on her fork and chewed thoughtfully. “You know, I didn’t think it would be this _hard_.”

 

             “I know,” Kara murmured, “I’m scared.”

 

             Lena’s head jerked up to look at her, her eyebrows rising in surprise, “why?”

 

             Kara shrugged, picking up her muesli and slowly eating some. “I guess … I’m just scared that we won’t be convincing enough. It only takes one mistake, one slip up, and it’s game over. So much is riding on us being able to do it, and we’ll lose _everything_ if we can’t do it. I’m even more scared that I’ll lose myself to keep the lie going though. Like I might do something that’s not _me_ , just to make sure our secret is safe. That scares me more than anything.”

 

             Letting out a soft laugh, Lena poked at her food, “I’m not scared. I’m just … angry. I think we’ve already given up parts of ourselves for this – even just _doing_ this goes against who you are – but for me … it’s nothing new. I’ve pretended in front of the cameras my entire life. I’m not afraid of anything.”

 

             “Except ski lifts,” Kara blurted out, and Lena let out a surprised laugh.

 

             “Except ski lifts,” she murmured in agreement, giving Kara a smile.

 

             They were silent as they kept on eating their breakfast, and afterwards, Kara walked into the cabin, trying not to disturb her sister and bodyguard as she dumped their rubbish in the trash and walked back out. The sea air was bracing and she took a deep breath as she looked out at the water, squinting slightly when she saw a ripple of movement, and then the next minute, a dolphin jumped out of the waves.

 

             “Dolphins!” Kara excitedly called out, and Lena got up from where she was sat and came over to the side of the boat to look. She was silent, but Kara saw the slight curl of her lips as she watched a few more fins breach the surface of the water while another one jumped out. Grinning to herself, Kara slowly walked over to Lena, who ignored her, and reached out and poked her on both sides of her ribs while she made a loud exclamation.

 

             “Fuck!” Lena swore, all but jumping out of her skin as she clapped a hand over her racing heart as she whirled around to glare at Kara. “What the fuck is wrong with you, you stupid cow. I almost had a bloody heart attack.”

 

             Kara burst into laughter, and Lena frowned at her as the corners of her mouth pulled down in a grimace. It only made Kara laugh more, and Lena smirked slightly, before reaching out and pushing her. The yacht didn’t sit high above the waves, so it was a short fall before Kara was submerged with a loud splash, before she came back up coughing and spluttering and making sure her glasses were still in place. She could hear Lena laughing on deck, and the sound of footsteps quickly followed as Alex and Maggie burst out of the cabin, both of them laughing at the sight of Kara’s head bobbing above the water.

 

             “Lena!” Kara yelled, paddling to stay afloat, “I’m going to kill you! You, ugh, you asshole!”

 

             “Well don’t fucking scare me.”

 

             Maggie quickly threw a life ring towards her, falling short as the yacht kept moving, despite Hector’s efforts to slow it, and Kara swam towards it. She was quickly pulled back to the boat, and fell back onto the deck in a wet heap, coughing and glowering at Lena, who looked smug. “You look a bit chilly, would you like your dress back?”

 

             Kara pursed her lips and climbed to her feet, ignoring Alex as she muffled a laugh, and went into the cabin to fetch a towel and dry off.

 

\---

 

             They spent the rest of the day on the yacht, with Kara sitting in silence as she let herself dry off, ending up with stiff tangled curls and a slight layer of salt coating her skin. Ignoring Lena, Kara stretched out on her towel on the deck, basking in the warmth of the sun as she stared up at the cloudless blue sky and let her mind wander.

 

             Dusk was still a few hours away when they returned to the port, with Hector expertly navigating the yacht to the docks, where it was tied up and everyone began to disembark. Lena gave Kara a sweet smile as she held her hand out, and Kara plastered a warm smile on her own face and walked down the gangplank, pulling Lena along behind her. She wore Lena’s dress because Lena wore hers, and she knew she looked a mess, and wasn’t in the mood to deal with the photographers milling around as they waited for them to return. Her other two guards quickly brought the cars around, and everyone piled in, and Kara and Lena sat in tense silence for the return journey back to their hotel.

 

             Once inside their room, Kara stalked off towards her room to shower, and stopped when she saw a white box on her bed, tied with a pale pink ribbon. Frowning, she walked over to the bed and pulled the box closer, untying the bow and brushing aside tissue paper to look down at a pale blue silk top. She picked it up, taking in the thin straps and white lace trim, and stared down at the matching pair of shorts in the box.

 

             “I got Jess to buy them for you,” Lena murmured from behind her, and Kara whirled around. “You looked a little hot this morning. I guess it’s also an apology … for pushing you in.”

 

             “Thank you,” Kara curtly replied, pulling out the shorts and fetching herself some underwear. She could feel Lena watching her, and before she disappeared into her bathroom, she glanced over her shoulder. “I don’t feel like going out tonight.”

 

             Lena nodded, “I’ll order us room service.


	14. Chapter 14

            Aside from some bickering and arguing, the rest of the trip went smoothly, mostly due to the fact that they had to put on a show in front of the cameras, even if they were both disgruntled and sick of each other. Even sharing the same suite became almost bearable by the last day, even if most of the time it felt overcrowded. On the last day, they spent the morning down at one of the beaches, making the most of their last few hours of freedom and publicity before they parted ways. They had no other plans to meet each other before the tour finished in a month’s time, but as they were sat by the water, feeling the hot sand beneath their feet and listening to the soothing sound of small waves crashing onto the shore, Kara turned to looked at Lena.

 

            “Hey, so, um, you know what food I really like?” Kara asked, a hesitant look on her face.

 

            “Chinese,” Lena absentmindedly murmured, sounding bored as she glared at the harsh sunlight reflected by the blue water, looking as if she hated her life as her pale skin practically glowed in the sunlight.

 

            Kara blinked in surprise, “oh, yeah, that’s … right. So, um, I’m going to be in China in a month, finishing up the end of this whole thing … do you think- uh, would you- do you want to meet me there?”

 

            Lena turned, arching an eyebrow at her, “do you speak Mandarin?” Grimacing, Kara shook her head, and Lena let out a soft laugh, “well I suppose someone should translate for you then.”

 

            “Really? You’ll come?”

 

            “On one condition,” Lena told her, and a look of apprehension crossed Kara’s face as she waited for the terms of the agreement, “I get to join you for the stop in Japan first.”

 

            Kara gave her a puzzled look, “I mean, yes, that’s completely fine, but why?”

 

            Lena shrugged, “the art … and there’s this really great sushi restaurant. I’ll take you there.”

 

            “Great,” Kara smiled at her.

 

            Once Lena was sick of the sun, and grumbling about her sensitive skin, they went back to the hotel. They checked out and enjoyed a quick lunch in one of the hotel’s restaurants, before they said goodbye, with Kara giving Lena a quick kiss in the lobby and leaving for the drive back to the airport. The next stop on her trip was Australia.

 

            The weeks passed by quickly, with Kara darting from country to country. She held koalas in Australia, and went hiking in New Zealand, before making her way up through South Asia, visiting the war museum in Vietnam, an orphanage in Cambodia and so on as she gradually made her way north. The second last stop before she returned to Krypton was Japan, and Kara readied herself for another round of arguing with Lena as her private jet touched down in Tokyo and she was driven to the hotel. This time she had her own suite, which she was thankful for, and she was in the middle of freshening up when there was a knock on her door.

 

            She opened it up to see Lena standing there, and gave her a small smile, “hi, you’re here early.”

 

            “The flight was shorter than expected,” Lena briskly told her, “get your shit. I’ve been thinking about this sushi for the past week.”

 

            “Oh, okay,” Kara said, blinking in surprise at Lena’s unusual eagerness to do something. She hurried to do as she was bid, and grabbed a coat and her bag while Lena waited in the doorway.

 

            They were soon in the back of a car, heading through the centre of Tokyo as neon lights blurred around them and thousands of people rushed around them, heading home from work or out for the evening. Lena was mostly silent, asking only a few questions about Kara’s travels, and Kara kept the chatter to a minimum, saving all of her energy for a performance at the restaurant. They pulled up outside the sushi restaurant and Kara noticed the way that Lena’s eyes brightened the tiniest bit at the thought of the food, and as she climbed out, she held a hand out to Lena and gave her an enthusiastic smile.

 

            Seated in a private room, Kara and Lena both silently waited as a waiter filled two glasses with cool water and presented them with a porcelain bottle of sake, while Lena reached for with a smile. Waving away the help of the waiter, who bowed to them before retreating, Lena filled two of the small porcelain cups with some of the rice wine and handed one to Kara.

 

            “Have you ever tried sake before?” she asked Kara, who shook her head. “It’s the national beverage.”

 

            Taking a sip, Kara’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, “that’s actually quite nice. It’s almost fruity.”

 

            “Mm,” Lena murmured in agreement, taking a sip of her own, before setting it down on the table. “I asked the chef to make my usual order, I hope you don’t mind. I did ask for some of them with some sort of meat though.”

 

            “Not at all,” Kara quickly assured her, “I’ve never tried proper sushi before, so I’m excited.”

 

            Lena nodded, and they fell back into silence, both of them sipping their sake while they waited for the chef to make their first course. A large plate was brought out not too long after, with nigiri and sashimi, and Kara stared at the bright orange slivers of salmon artfully arranged on the plate, and the variety of avocado or shrimp on top of small mounds of rice that had been carefully formed into shape. The two of them made it through the first course, and then came a plate filled with maki and uramaki, with a dozen choices presented to them, and Kara had to admit that the food was amazing, and she was grateful to Lena for bringing her. She was in the midst of placing some wasabi on her tiger roll, when Lena cleared her throat slightly to get her attention.

 

            “That’s a lot of wasabi, are you sure you want to do that?” Lena asked, arching an eyebrow as she smirked slightly.

 

            Kara blinked slightly, looking down at the small blob of green on her piece of maki. Rolling her eyes, she scoffed at Lena, “ _this?_ Please, this is nothing. I bet I could eat the whole thing without breaking a sweat.”

 

            Lena raised her eyebrows, giving Kara a sceptical look, “the _whole_ thing? Please, you’d probably cry.”

 

            The competitive side of Kara flared up, and she stubbornly jutted her chin forward as she stared at Lena with a glimmer of determination in her eyes. “Let’s make a bet then. If I eat this whole bowl of wasabi, you have to let me buy you a new wardrobe so you stop looking like Morticia Addams all the time. And if I _don’t_ …”

 

            Hesitating, Lena rested her chin in her hand as she stared at the wall with a thoughtful look on her face. “Hm, well, if you don’t eat it all, you have to let me take you to my bird sanctuary.”

 

            “But you _know_ that birds freak me out. I already told you I don't want to go,” Kara protested, pouting as she frowned at Lena.

 

            “Don’t be such a baby,” Lena said, rolling her eyes, “they’re just _birds_ , Kara. Besides, I think you’d like falconry.”

 

            “They’re _huge_ birds with sharp claws! Who could possibly like that? Except you, but then you’re always trying to prove that you’re all rebellious and everything, but seriously, it’s weird and you know it.”

 

            Lena let out an exasperated sigh, “it’s a respectable pastime, Kara.”

 

            “Fine, if I don’t eat it, which I’m going to, you can take me falconrying – is that a word? No? Anyway – _and_ I’ll buy you a new bird. Not a scary one, like a falcon … maybe like an owl. Wait, they’re predators too, right? I’ll get you a- hang on, why am I even trying to pick, I’m not going to lose the bet anyway.”

 

            Looking at her with raised eyebrows, Lena smirked slightly, “I’d like a red tailed hawk, unless …” Lena trailed off, gesturing towards the tiny bowl filled with the green wasabi.

 

            Hesitating, Kara reached out for the bowl and jutted her chin forward as she picked up a teaspoon and scooped the wasabi up, scraping the bowl to make sure she got it all. Raising the spoon in a toast to Lena, Kara gave it a dubious look, before she put it in her mouth and ate it all. Her mouth was instantly on fire, and her sinuses burned as she swallowed, her eyes streaming as she furiously blinked back tears, and her nose feeling like she’d inhaled it rather than swallowed it. As Kara’s face turned bright red, Lena let out an amused laugh, shaking her head as she looked at Kara.

 

            “Are you okay?” she asked, smirking slightly when Kara shook her head, reaching for her water and draining it, before draining her sake as well. “God, you’re such a fucking bellend.”

 

            “Well you started it!” Kara argued, gasping as she refilled her small cup and drained the sake again. “God, I feel drunk. Why did I think this was a good idea?"

 

            Lena let out a groan, closing her eyes as she shook her head, “sake is rice _wine_ , you pillock.”

 

            “Stop calling me names that I don’t understand!” Kara exclaimed, “and how was I supposed to know it was wine? You told me it was sake!”

 

            “Because that’s what it’s called!” Lena argued.

 

            Kara huffed as she shoved a piece of uramaki into her mouth to try and chase away the lingering taste of wasabi. “Well _sorry_ that I’ve never been to Japan or had their _national beverage_.”

 

            “What the bloody hell did you think it was, you silly cow?” Lena asked, her eyebrows drawing together as she stared at Kara incredulously.

 

            Scowling, Kara shoved more sushi into her mouth, “I don’t know, some herbal tea.”

 

            Lena burst out laughing, and Kara’s scowl deepened as she flushed red with embarrassment – she knew she’d never live it down, and she hated to give Lena more ammunition to tease her with. They enjoyed a matcha cake for desert, prepared especially for them to share, and Lena jokingly asked for more wasabi for Kara, who bristled at the joke, shoving some cake in her mouth to hide her embarrassment.

 

            They left not long after that, with Lena profusely thanking the chef for their amazing night, while Kara glared daggers at her for enjoying it too much. The last straw was when they made it back to the hotel, passing by the bar, where Alex and Astra were enjoying drinking with some Japanese officials, and Alex frowned slightly at Kara, asking if she was okay because she looked a little flushed. Kara had let out a frustrated sigh and stormed over to the elevator, leaving Lena to recount the story, much to Alex’ amusement.

 

\---

 

            After a few days in Japan, visiting the art galleries Lena wanted to, and shopping and sightseeing, they made their way to China, landing in Beijing in the early morning, and leaving plenty of time for them to make themselves comfortable and enjoy the food, much to Kara’s enthusiasm. She was also relieved at the lack of wasabi, but she kept those thoughts to herself.

 

            Two days were spent meeting with every important person imaginable in Beijing, but after that, Kara realised that her tour was finished. She could technically stay in China for as long as she pleased, even though they only had four more days there, and she was relieved to finally be able to relax. The past almost three months had been exhausting, with Kara trying to juggle her appearance as a queen, as well as her publicised romance with Lena, and she was almost at the end of her tether. It would be nice to go back to Krypton after so long away, and she was surprised to admit that she was looking forward to her own bed at Sunstone Palace, and the cooler weather that would be coming in with the early October.

 

            One of their days was spent at Xi’an, because Alex wanted to see the Terracotta Army, and Kara had to admit that even she was interested in seeing the thousands of warriors, and so they had spent a day wandering the city, after taking a trip to see the statues all lined up. They had waited to go to the Great Wall of China though, wanting to save it for their last full day there, and the day before they left, Kara had everyone up early so that she could cover as much of the wall as possible to get a variety of views from the top of it.

 

            It was bustling with tourists, and so she had held onto Lena’s hand tightly as they walked along the wall, marvelling at the structure and the amount of history it held. “How long do you think it would take to walk the whole thing?”

 

            “A month,” Lena instantly replied.

 

            “A _month?!”_ Kara exclaimed, “that’s impressive.”

 

            Lena was silent for the most part, and she listened to Kara babble – or at least pretended to while she let Kara chatter on about whatever caught her interest – and they made their way along the wall, ignoring the people that snapped their photo, choosing to focus on the beautiful view instead. At one point, Kara pulled them to a stop, holding her phone out to Alex and asking her to take a photo of her and Lena.

 

            Smiling brightly with their arms around each other, they waited while Alex snapped a photo, and then Kara turned around, “climb on my back.”

 

            “Wha- no, I’m not _climbing_ on your back, Kara,” Lena protested.

 

            “Come on,” Kara begged in a wheedling tone, “it’ll be fun, and the view is amazing.”

 

            After a few moments of Lena staring hardly at Kara, she relented with a sigh, rolling her eyes as she handed her bag off to Hector and jumped on Kara’s back. She plastered a fake smile on her face and quickly climbed down as soon as Maggie had taken a few photos. “I don’t know why you insist on taking all these photos anyway,” Lena grumbled.

 

            “It’s for Instagram,” Kara told her, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

 

            “Instagram? You’ve been posting pictures of us on _Instagram?”_ Lena spluttered, her eyes widening in surprise. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

 

            Kara shrugged, “you always make such a fuss when I want us to take pictures together, and I thought you might object to it. Don’t worry, a lot of the times it’s just your silhouette, or one of you with half of your face hidden, or just scenery of places we’ve been together. It’s what couples _do,_ Lena, and it gets the press talking.”

 

            Pursing her lips, Lena narrowed her eyes slightly, “whatever. I’m going through these photos later though. And you have to ask my approval for any other photos you post from now on. I need to make sure I look good.”

 

            “You always look good,” Kara blurted out before she could stop herself, “I mean, I wouldn’t post a bad one of you.”

 

            “How considerate,” Lena snorted, holding her hand out to Kara so that they could continue their walk.

 

            They made it another hundred yards before Lena cleared her throat slightly. She clearly had something to say, so Kara looked down at her, willingly letting Lena lead her over to the edge of the wall so that they could peer over the side at the long drop. After a few moments of silence, Lena started to speak, keeping her head forward. “So, I have a polo match in two week’s time,” she said, “all of my friends will be there, and they’re dying to meet you. Sam will be there – of course – but so will Veronica Sinclair, and some others that you don’t know. I was wondering if you’d like to come, so that they can finally meet you.”

 

            “Oh,” Kara said in surprise, “you want me to meet your friends?”

 

            Lena rolled her eyes, “well, you kind of _have_ to if we want to pull this off, especially with our bloody _one year anniversary_ approaching. It would seem a bit strange to not have met my friends, wouldn’t it? Besides, Sam brought it up, and I couldn’t think of a good enough excuse to say no.”

 

            “I’d love to come,” Kara beamed at her, “in two weeks you said?”

 

            Nodding, Lena gave her a tight smile, “yes, on the Saturday.”

 

            “I’ll be there,” Kara assured her.

 

            A moment later, Lena’s phone started ringing, and she excused herself to answer it, leaving Kara to wander over to her sister, who was muttering something to Maggie. Neither of them even noticed Kara approach, and she smiled slightly at the way that her sister dipped her head slightly to listen to what Maggie was saying, a slight smile playing on her lips.

 

            “What’re you two gossiping about?”

 

            Alex and Maggie both looked up, sheepish looks on their faces as they looked at Kara, who arched an eyebrow at them. Maggie stood rigidly to attention, and Alex shrugged slightly, giving Kara a helpless gesture. “We’re just making a bet.”

 

            “What kind of bet?”

 

            Alex shrugged again, biting back a smile, “never you mind, my dear little sister.”

 

            Kara didn’t trust the glimmer of amusement in Alex’s eyes, or the sweet tone, so she slid her gaze to Maggie, giving her a slight smile. “Sawyer, do you like working for me?”

 

            “I do, Your Majesty.”

 

            “Good. Now, if I were to ask you to tell me about this bet, or risk losing your job … what would your answer be?”

 

            Alex made a sound of protest and Kara smiled at her, watching as Maggie pressed her lips together as she weighed Kara’s question. Maggie tilted her head to the side, her eyes crinkling at the corners and her cheeks dimpling as she smirked at Kara. “My answer would be that Lady Alex and I were placing bets on whether you or Her Highness, Princess Lena, would fall in love with the other first, Your Majesty.”

 

            Kara choked on a sound of surprise, feeling herself flush bright red as she nervously pushed her glasses up and looked at the floor. “Oh, well, I- uh, um, y-you should make a different bet then,” Kara stammered, trying to hide her embarrassment.

 

            “Well I think one of us is bound to be right,” Alex said, “personally I think myself.”

 

            “And _who_ did you bet on, exactly?” Kara asked, giving her sister an admonishing look as she pursed her lips in disapproval.

 

            “You.”

 

            Spluttering in indignation, Kara opened and closed her mouth a few times. “Fine, but when Sawyer wins, you have to pluck up the courage and ask her on a date, because it _definitely_ won't be me,” Kara said, watching as Alex’s cheeks turned red and she laughed nervously, her eyes darting over to Maggie who was looking slightly startled.

 

            “Well, I was- I, um,” Alex nervously stumbled over her words, trying to come up with a good enough retort. “We’ll see.”

 

            Rolling her eyes, Kara turned around and stalked off, feeling flustered as she thought about Maggie’s words. There was _no way_ that either her _or_ Lena were going to fall for each other – they couldn’t even be in the same room without bickering and arguing and making jibes to irritate one another – and Kara scoffed as she walked away from the two girls. They were both in for a big disappointment if they thought that one of them would win the bet.


	15. Chapter 15

             Kara had been back in Krypton for two weeks, and it was pouring down with rain as she stared out of her bedroom window. Autumn was well and truly underway. The sky was grey and the window rattled in its frame as she stood with one hand pressed against the glass, trying to distract herself as she wallowed in her misery. She was disturbed by the sound of the doors to her quarters being thrown open, and she looked towards her closed bedroom doors as the other ones slammed shut. Frowning, Kara wondered who would be barging into her rooms in such a forceful way, and her question was answered a moment later.

 

             “Kara!” Lena shouted, sounding furious as she stomped through the suite. Kara’s frown deepened, but she didn’t move; it wouldn’t take Lena long to find her. She had her back to the door when Lena yanked open the bedroom doors. It was gloomy inside the room, and it took Lena a moment to realise that Kara was stood by the window. “You made me look like a fucking _idiot.”_

 

             The accusation surprised Kara, and she turned slightly, looking down at the floor to her left. “What’re you talking about?” she muttered.

 

             “The polo match. You didn’t show up. I told all of my friends that you would be there, and you _didn’t show,_ ” Lena snarled, and Kara blinked in surprise.

 

             “Sorry, I forgot.”

 

             “You _forgot?”_ Lena snapped, glaring at Kara’s turned back, “turn around, I’m talking to you.”

 

             With a soft sigh, Kara slowly turned around, her eyes widening in surprise when she saw a soaking wet, furious Lena, still dressed in her polo uniform, and dripping onto the carpet. “What do you want, Lena?” Kara hoarsely asked, closing her eyes.

 

             "What do I want? I want you to not be such a fucking hypocrite all the time, saying that I'm not trying when you-" Lena cut off and hesitated, taking a step forward and squinting as she looked at Kara, “oh _God_ , have you been _crying?”_

 

             Kara ducked her head down, pushing her glasses up her nose as she tried to hide the embarrassed blush that spread across her cheeks. Her eyes were red and puffy and her throat was scratchy, but she desperately tried to hide it. “I’m fine.”

 

             “Well clearly you’re _not_ ,” Lena said, sounding slightly less angry, but still frowning as she shivered slightly. “I told you before, I’m not good at the whole comforting shit, so if you want me to go and get Alex-“

 

             “I said I’m fine,” Kara tightly replied, cutting her off mid-sentence, before gesturing to one of the closed doors in her room, “the bathroom’s through there if you want to shower.”

 

             Lena realised that she was slowly making a puddle on the bedroom floor, and quickly pulled her boots off and made for the bathroom. A minute later the sound of water running reached Kara’s ears, and she walked over to the door to her closet, bringing out a few of the bags and placing them on the bed. She called for tea to be brought up after that, and perched on the edge of her bed while she waited for Lena to come out. She didn’t take long in the shower, and Kara looked up as Lena poked her head out, one hand keeping the white fluffy towel closed as she looked at Kara.

 

             “Do you have anything dry I could borrow?”

 

             Kara reached for the bags on the bed, standing up and walking over to the door. “Here. These are for you anyway,” Kara dully replied, waiting for Lena to open the door wider so that she could take them off Kara.

 

             “Why?”

 

             “Our bet, remember,” Kara told her with a strained smile. She had bought Lena a few dresses, shirts and sweaters in olive green, navy and a deep red, so at least Lena could keep her whole dark and brooding look going on without looking like she was about to attend a funeral. If Kara was being honest, she had mostly gone for olive, because she knew the green would bring out Lena’s eyes.

 

             “Oh … right. Thank you,” Lena muttered, taking the bags off her and shutting the door.

 

             Kara walked out to the sitting room, taking a seat on the sofa and warming herself by the fire while she waited for Lena to come out. It was a few moments later, looking marginally warmer in a green sweater and black pants as she towel-dried her hair. She sat down opposite Kara, watching her closely, and Kara looked up from the fire to look into questioning eyes. They sat in silence until Lyra came in, carrying a silver tray leaden with cups and cakes and a big pot of tea. She set it down on the coffee table, and curtsied before leaving the two girls alone. Lena beat Kara to the tea, pouring them both one and handing a cup and saucer to Kara as she gave her a wary look. Kara realised that this was Lena trying to be comforting, just like last time when she’d brought her a cup of tea after her family’s funeral. Lena wasn’t completely cold and distant; she just wasn’t good at comforting words.

 

             “So … are you going to tell me what’s wrong?” Lena asked after a few moments of drinking tea in silence.

 

             Kara sighed, setting her tea back down on the coffee table and averting her gaze. She let out a shaky breath, trying not to burst into tears again as she stared at the fire burning low in the grate. “I was … I-I was coming to the polo match,” Kara haltingly began, feeling a lump form in her throat, “I-I had it all planned out, and then … I realised today that it’s the anniversary since- I _forgot_. I forgot that my parents have been d-dead for thirteen years. My aunt … she reminded me. She came here this morning, with Alex and Eliza, all of them ready to go and visit their graves. I _forgot_.”

 

             Lena exhaled sharply, her eyes widening in understanding, “oh God, Kara, I’m sorry. I didn’t know or I would never-“

 

             “I know,” Kara said, letting out a tearful laugh, “even you’re not _that_ cold.”

 

             Grimacing slightly, Lena shrugged, “I mean, I guess I am, because I just shouted at someone on the anniversary of their parent’s _deaths_. Kind of makes me a bit of an inconsiderate twat. If I’d known … I would’ve come.” Kara raised her eyebrows slightly in surprise. “You know … the press will know it’s the anniversary. They would expect to see me here.”

 

             “Oh, yeah, right,” Kara muttered, “I guess it’s a good thing you’re impulsive and angry all of the time and came straight from your match. At least now you look like a good girlfriend.”

 

             Letting out a snort of laughter, Lena shook her head, “no, I should’ve been here this morning.”

 

             Kara subtly tried to wipe at her eyes, reaching for a biscuit as she sniffed. “Well seeing as _I_ forgot, I won’t hold it against you.”

 

             “Kara-“

 

             “It’s fine,” Kara quickly said, “it just … it made me feel guilty. I was more focused on a stupid polo match – no offence – and I just- I got so wrapped up in making sure I had the perfect dress, and wouldn’t embarrass you in front of you friends, and trying to be … perfect. I should’ve known. I mean, they’re my parents, you know? I let myself get distracted.”

 

             Lena was silent for a few moments, and then she climbed to her feet, setting her tea down on the table and motioning for Kara to stand up. “Come on. You’re not moping around in here all day; we’re going out.”

 

             Kara blinked in surprise, shoving the rest of her biscuit into her mouth and climbing to her feet. “Where?”

 

             “It’s a surprise,” Lena said, “get your shoes and coat.” Looking down at herself, Kara took in the sweatpants and jumper, and looked back up at Lena, who rolled her eyes. “No time to change. Quick.”

 

             A laugh fell past Kara’s lips and she turned and walked into her bedroom, and then into the closet, where she pulled on some socks and wellies, grabbed a raincoat, and grabbed exactly the same for Lena. They would all be a big big for her because she was so much shorter than Kara, but they were better than nothing and Lena gratefully accepted them. Lena made a quick call as they exited the room, and Kara looked in Maggie’s general direction while keeping her eyes trained on the floor so she couldn’t see that Kara had been crying.

 

             “You’re dismissed.”

 

             “Forgive me, Your Majesty,” Maggie said, “but if you and Her Highness are leaving the palace, I must accompany you.”

 

             Lena gestured for Maggie to follow, and Hector fell into step with her too. They were soon in the car that Lena had brought to the palace, and Kara quickly messaged Alex so she wouldn’t worry, especially on a day like today. They were both quiet as they drove through the city, the rain leaving trails on the windows as the clouds hid the sun from view. Kara didn’t ask where they were going, she just watched the city give way to the countryside, wondering where Lena had been this far out of the city. She was still silently wondering when they came to a stop outside a small building an hour later.

 

             Climbing out of the car, Kara winced at the cold rain that trickled down the side of her face. She turned to look at Lena, who climbed out and pulled at the collar of the coat as she tried to protect herself from the rain, before jerking her head towards the building, “this way.”

 

             Trailing after her, Kara’s confusion increased as they approached the main door of the building, and Lena held it open for her. Mercifully, it was warm inside and Kara let out a relieved sigh as Lena walked in and over to the man who was walking out of one of the rooms. She quickly spoke to him while Kara shook off the rain, and waited to find out why they were here. Her answer soon came in the form of two shotguns, and Kara looked mildly alarmed at the sight of them, but took one when Lena offered it to her. They were soon led outside, and Kara climbed onto the seat on the little golf cart, and Lena drove them both and their bodyguards out to the shooting station.

 

             “How do you know about this place?” Kara asked as Lena led her over to a small brick wall, staring out at the stretch of fields, bordered on both sides by trees and giving them a good view of the grey sky spread out before them.

 

             “I came here while I waited for your funerals and coronation to be over so I could go back home,” Lena answered, loading two shells into her gun and clicking the barrels back into place. “I like shooting, especially when I’m angry, and I was angry a _lot_ back then.”

 

             Kara laughed, taking the gun as Lena held it out to her and took the unloaded one. “And now?”

 

             “Five months is a long time to stay mad,” Lena said, shrugging slightly before smirking at Kara, “but it’s a good thing I’m stubborn and excellent at holding grudges and bottling things up.”

 

             Snorting with laughter and shaking her head, Kara watched as Lena expertly loaded her own gun, before pressing a button and raising her gun. A small line appeared between her furrowed eyebrows as she concentrated on the empty sky, before an orange clay saucer was launched from an unseen spot off to the left, and before it had even made it to the peak of its trajectory, Lena had shot it out of the sky, shattering the clay target into pieces. She turned and gave Kara a lopsided smile, gesturing for Kara to take a stand behind the wall, just in time for the sound of the next target to be launched into the sky. Kara shot twice, missing both times in her pitiful attempt at shooting, and she let out a shaky laugh, the loud gunshots and the kickback from the shotgun feeling exhilarating.

 

             “You’re not aiming right,” Lena told her, raising her own gun and pressing the end of it into her shoulder and sighting down the barrel of it as she waited for the next target. With one shot, she took down that one too, and then motioned for Kara to go again, quickly showing her how to reload before the target was flung across the field. Taking a deep breath, Kara stood behind the wall, pressing the butt of the gun into her shoulder like Lena had, and closing one eye. “Don’t close your eye, you dozy cow, it limits depth perception. Also your stance is wrong – you need to stand like this.”

 

             Kara opened both eyes, casting Lena a quick glance and adjusting her stance, before the sound of a disk flying made her whip around and desperately try and aim, but not succeeding. She let out a hopeless sigh, lowering the gun and grimacing at Lena. “This is useless.”

 

             “Try again,” Lena told her, giving her a slight smile, “here, like this.” Kara let Lena position her behind the wall, standing in front of her with Lena’s hands on her shoulders. She barely dared to breath as Lena’s arms reached around either side and raised the gun in Kara’s arms, her hands gently positioning Kara correctly and adjusting her grip for her.

 

             “Okay, both eyes open, stand like this and don’t let the recoil unbalance you,” Lena murmured in her ear, and Kara swallowed the lump in her throat as she nodded. She felt uneasy with Lena so close – they didn’t _need_ to be that close – and she could feel her cheeks turning pink, but hoped that the cold and rain had turned her cheeks pink enough to hide it.

 

             The next target was released and Lena raised the gun in Kara’s hands, aiming it for her, “now.”

 

             Kara squeezed the trigger with a loud bang, shattering the target and stumbling back into Lena – half in surprise, and the other half from the gun’s recoil – feeling gentle hands steady her as Kara fell into her chest. Turning around, Kara gave her a wide smile, her eyes sparkling with excitement as adrenaline coursed through her. “I did it!”

 

             “Yeah, you did,” Lena said, giving her a small smile, “come on, go again.”

 

             Turning back around, Kara eagerly raised the gun, and this time, Lena stepped back and let her do it herself, letting out a quiet laugh when Kara let out a frustrated shout when she missed.

 

             They shot until they ran out of targets, and they made their way back to the house, which it turned out also served as a small restaurant and bar for the shooters. Freezing cold and soaking wet, Kara and Lena sat down at one of the small tables near the fire, where they were given whiskey, while Maggie and Hector sat nearby with cups of coffee to warm themselves up. The four of them enjoyed homemade soup, and Kara was mostly silent throughout the meal, which made Lena uneasy, because she was always so talkative and bubbly. Aside from the rough few weeks at the beginning, Kara had talked non-stop, unless she was giving Lena the silent treatment because of an argument, and so, Lena took it upon herself to give Kara a play-by-play of the polo game she’d missed that morning, as well as a rundown on which guests had been there and the new gossip amongst them. Kara didn’t think she’d ever felt more grateful towards her, and she could feel herself actually starting to _like_ Lena. She almost felt like they could be friends – maybe – but she didn’t think Lena would admit to thinking the same.

 

             A little damp, and feeling drained, they made their way back to the palace, with Kara feeling slightly less guilty about forgetting about her parents. She had ended up going with Astra and Eliza earlier on that morning, after she had realised, to lay flowers on their tombs, as well as ones for the rest of her family, but it had still hit her hard that she had woken up that morning completely oblivious. It wasn’t an anniversary that anyone really bothered to remember, just her and her aunt, and her mother’s best friend. She sometimes forgot that Eliza had been so close to her mom, but it some ways it made her feel closer to her adoptive mother, because in the school holidays, when she was tucked away at the Duchess’ estate with Alex and Eliza, there had been someone to tell her stories about her mom. There was someone who hadn’t forgotten about her, and Kara was grateful, but sad that she didn’t have the same for her dad. If she’d seen more of her Uncle Jor-El and her grandfather, she would’ve known more, and sometimes she was still bitter that she had been shunted off to her godmother, instead of raised by her family. Sometimes, Kara even found herself feeling a bit resentful towards Astra too, because she had always loved it when her aunt had come home from her diplomatic business, and she envisioned another life where the woman who looked so much like her mother had raised her instead. Sometimes, she wondered about how different things could be.

 

             In Kara’s room, she let Lena take another shower and borrow some sweatpants, before she took a shower and pulled on something similar. She had expected Lena to leave as soon as she came out into the living room, but she saw her curled up on the sofa with a pair of glasses perched on her nose, reading a book that Kara had left out, and looking as if she wasn’t moving for the rest of the evening.

 

             “Did you take out my bookmark?” Kara asked, grimacing slightly.

 

             Lena sighed heavily without looking up from the page, “you were twelve pages in, Kara, I’m sure you’ll find it again.”

 

             Smiling slightly, Kara walked over to a cupboard against the far wall and opened up one of the doors to pull out some scotch and two glasses. Adding a good measure to both glasses, she carried them and the bottle over to beside the fire, nudging Lena as she handed her a glass. She blinked in surprise as she looked up at Kara, taking the glass with murmured thanks. Kara set the bottle down on the coffee table, before flopping down at the opposite end of the sofa to Lena. She stretched her legs out and sighed, pulling the blanket off the back of the sofa and throwing it over them while she brooded over her drink.

 

             After a few moments, Lena cleared her throat slightly, “your feet are cold and they’re touching me.”

 

             Kara let out a surprised laugh, her eyebrows shooting up as she stared at Lena in disbelief, “this is _my_ sofa, I can put my feet where I like.”

 

             Pursing her lips, Lena narrowed her eyes at Kara, “well perhaps you can put them three feet away from me.”

 

             “It’s not my fault I’m tall,” Kara argued, “besides, they’re not even touching you, they’re touching _my_ sweatpants.”

 

             “Feet are gross, Kara, can you just please move them before I bloody move you,” Lena tersely told her, looking unimpressed by Kara’s logic.

 

             Sighing, Kara shifted slightly so that she was leaning against the arm of the sofa and her knees were bent ever so slightly so she could still see Lena over the top of them. “Better?”

 

             “Thank you,” Lena curtly replied, the corners of her lips twitching slightly as she almost smiled. Kara went to take a sip of her drink and Lena quickly reached across, her arm outstretched and a serious look on her face as she accidentally sent the book in her lap flying. “Wait,” Lena exclaimed, and at the bemused look on Kara’s face, she hesitated slightly before shrugging and raising her glass, “to your parents.”

 

             “Oh,” Kara softly murmured, “to my parents.”

 

             They both drained their glasses, and Kara immediately reached for the bottle and refilled her glass, before leaning towards Lena and adding some more to her glass. Picking up the fallen book, Lena cast Kara a wary look. “Are you okay?”

 

             “Fine,” Kara sighed, reaching for a small moleskin sketchbook on the end table next to the sofa, and the pencil beside it. She flipped through the pages, the ones at the beginning filled with landscapes of the countryside or the inside and outside buildings and parks. The further in Kara got, they were the same, except every now and then there would be the sketch of a person sitting in the armchair of the room she sketched, or in the field that Kara was sketching. They grew more frequent towards the end.

 

             With her pencil, Kara absentmindedly started sketching as she balanced her glass in the crook of her elbow as she steadied the sketchbook and let the pencil fly over the page. The only sound was the occasional pop from the fire as it crackled, her pencil running over the paper, and the sound of pages turning as Lena quietly read. Kara drained her drink once more and shifted to reach for the bottle, leaving the sketchbook open in her lap as she leant as far as she could. She refilled her cup and held the bottle out to Lena, who took it, filled her own glass and then placed the bottle on the left side of the coffee table – the furthest end from Kara.

 

             “What’re you drawing?” Lena asked as her eyes darted to Kara, who was settling back into a comfortable position, and then darted down to the open pages of the sketchbook.

 

             “Nothing,” Kara quietly replied, looking down at the page and realising that she had drawn Lena, _again._ She never intended to, she just happened to be sat there, and in Kara’s distracted mind, she had sketched the hazy outlines of a girl with dark hair, reading a book and curled up into the exact position as Lena. It wouldn’t take a genius to figure out who it was, and unfortunately, Lena _was_ a genius. “Right.”

 

             They fell silent for a few more minutes, and Kara drained her third glass of scotch, sighing as she clumsily banged it down on the coffee table. She added a few more touched to her drawing, before snapping the book closed and tossing it onto the table next to her empty glass, with the pencil clattering down beside it. Running a hand through her hair, which had dried curly and was a mess, Kara closed her eyes and exhaled slowly.

 

             “Are you _sure_ you’re okay?” Lena asked again.

 

             Kara opened her eyes, surprised to find a glimmer of concern in Lena’s as they made eyes contact, before she slid down the sofa and stared up at the ceiling. She could feel the fabric of the sweatpants Lena wore beneath her feet, but Lena didn’t say a word. “No,” Kara muttered after a few moments of silence, “no, I don’t think that I am.”

 

             “Oh. Should I get someone?”

 

             “No.”

 

             “Oh.”

 

             Sighing again, Kara frowned to herself, and as the silence stretched on, she found herself struggling to hold her words back. Perhaps it was the scotch, but she couldn’t stop herself from letting the words fall past her lips. “Lena, do you ever think about what would’ve happened if you hadn’t been adopted?”

 

             She could almost feel Lena freeze, and Kara bit her tongue and squeezed her eyes shut, knowing that she shouldn’t have said anything. Lena hated talking about anything personal, and to be asked a question like that … Kara was just hoping that perhaps the scotch had worked on Lena too, and diminished her anger a bit. A heavy sigh came from the other end of the sofa, followed by the gentle thud of a book being closed, and Lena shifted, leaning back against the arm of the sofa and stretching her legs out alongside Kara’s. Propping herself up slightly, Kara looked at Lena with curiosity. She looked so different without her makeup on, dressed in a grey sweatshirt and matching sweatpants, with her glasses on. She looked so young, and Kara was struck again by the fact that they _were_ young – Lena wasn’t even twenty-five yet – and they were stuck here, pretending to love each other for the sake of a popularity contest against other dying monarchies.

 

             After what felt like an eternity, Lena shrugged, reaching for the bottle of scotch and pouring herself a glass, and one for Kara as well when she grabbed hers and held it out. “I don’t know. Sometimes. I tell myself that it’s stupid though; my mom is my mom, and no amount of wondering is ever going to change that. I don’t even know who she was … the woman who gave birth to me. My dad … well, she wasn’t the only one. No wonder my mom bloody hates me so much.”

 

             “I don’t think she hates you,” Kara murmured, “I just think her expectations are too high, and seeing as _everything_ you do is out of spite, you never reach them. Although, it’s unfair of her to have them anyway.”

 

             “Mm, well, whatever,” Lena muttered around the rim of her glass, before tipping it back and taking a small sip. “It makes no difference to me now anyway. There’s no way I could ever forgive her for this.”

 

             Kara smiled, a bitter feeling welling up inside her. “I could,” she said, and Lena sharply looked at her, “if my parents could come back to life … I would forgive them in a heartbeat. As long as they were here.”

 

             Lena nudged Kara with her foot, and with a slight frown, Kara let out a laugh, “was that- are you trying to _comfort_ me?”

 

            Scowling, Lena drained her scotch and held the glass tightly in her hand as she nestled down into the corner of the sofa, hiding the blush that spread across her cheeks. “Well don’t make a big deal out of it, okay?”

 

             “Okay.”

 

\---

 

             A knock on her door made Kara jerk awake, falling off the sofa as she rolled over in her confusion. She landed on the floor with a groan, and the sound of the door opening reached her ears at the same time the sound of someone grumbling did.

 

             “Morning, I- oh!” Alex said as she walked in.

 

             Kara was in the process of sitting up, rubbing her elbow as she winced and tried to nudge her glasses into place at the same time. As Kara blearily looked up at her sister, she realised that Alex wasn’t staring at her, she was staring at Lena, who was frowning as she sat up. “Oh,” Kara said in surprise, “I didn’t realise you were there.”

 

             Lena looked over at her, looking confused, “ _I_ didn’t know I was here.”

 

             “I _definitely_  didn’t know you were here,” Alex chimed in, “I guess it’s three for breakfast then?”

 

             “No,” Lena quickly said, climbing to her feet and running a hand through her messy hair, “I should get going back to Thorul. I only came here to shout at you.”

 

             Alex let out a confused laugh, giving both girls a bewildered look. “What?”

 

             “Never mind,” Kara muttered, climbing to her feet, “you said breakfast?”

 

             “Yes,” Alex said, “and then I thought we could do something fun. You know, to take your mind off, well, yesterday.”

 

             Kara gave her sister a small smile, “sure.”

 

             “Right, well I’ll be going,” Lena said, looking uncomfortable as she stood in Kara’s too big clothes, blinking away sleep as she frowned slightly. She still had her glasses on, and she took them off and rubbed her eyes, not looking at Kara as she spoke. “I’ll return the clothes when I see you next.” She quickly walked over to the door and pulled it open, only pausing when Kara called after her.

 

             “Thank you for yesterday.”

 

             Lena’s back was stiff, but her shoulders seemed to drop slightly as some of the tension faded, and she turned her head slightly, nodding, before slipping out into the hallway. She was in such a rush that she didn’t even have shoes or socks on. Looking mildly concerned at Lena’s abrupt behaviour – which wasn’t really surprising in itself – Kara frowned slightly, before she realised that Alex was staring at her expectantly.

 

             “So, am I winning the bet, or is Maggie?”

 

             Kara let out a loud groan, reaching for one of the pillows on the sofa and throwing it at her sister, who ducked it as she laughed.


	16. Chapter 16

            “Hey,” Kara said as soon as the call connected.

 

_“What?”_

            Sighing she rolled her eyes and set her cup down, “you really aught to work on your manners.”

 

 _“No time,”_ Lena brusquely replied and Kara let out a quick laugh, _“what do you want? If it’s not important, keep it to yourself.”_

            “I wanted to make it up to you for missing your polo match.”

 

            The line was silent for a few moments, before she heard a miniscule sigh. _“Oh … well there’s nothing to make up for. Obviously if I had known beforehand, I wouldn’t have been so rash and angry. It’s find, don’t worry about it.”_

            “But I haven’t met all of your friends,” Kara protested, “come on, Lena. I was thinking I could come to Thorul, and maybe we could have a poker night or something. You said you like gambling – well _clearly_ you do with all of the bets we make.”

 

            After a moment, she heard another sigh, louder this time, before Lena replied, _“fine, but you’re not allowed to wear one of those poxy cardigans. I’ll get something for you to wear. Just be here.”_

            “I’ll leave as soon as possible!”

 

_“Wha- Kara, no-“_

 

            “See you soon!”

 

            Hanging up, Kara went to inform her aunt that she’d be gone for the day, and asked Lyra to make the arrangements for her private jet and pack a bag for her. She called Alex too, asking if she wanted a relaxing weekend in Thorul while Kara played the doting girlfriend, and her sister readily agreed. Kara was secretly hoping to ditch Maggie once she reached Lena’s estate – there were enough guards there anyway – and send her off with Alex so that they could spend some time together. She knew that Maggie rarely had time to herself because she was always guarding Kara, but she also wanted to make her sister happy, and even if Alex wouldn’t outright admit it, she liked Maggie. Kara suspected that part of her denial was the fact that she was the daughter of a Duchess, and would inherit the land and title, whereas Maggie was a bodyguard. Bodyguard to the queen maybe, but a bodyguard nonetheless. Kara dimly remembered that Sam had a child, and that was part of the reason why her company wasn’t suitable for Lena – which didn’t stop her – because there was still an elitist view amongst the royals and nobles. They looked down on anyone without a title or enough billions to overlook the fact that they didn’t have one, like Lucy and James’ families.

 

            Soon enough, Kara, Alex, Maggie and Lyra were on board the private jet, with a few extra guards, and were setting off towards Thorul. It was still mid-morning, and the view outside the window captured Kara’s attention as she curled up in the back corner of the plane and drew the rain splattered window and heavy, grey clouds, rolling hills with massive blue lakes sparkling in the weak sunlight. She absentmindedly sketched pages and pages of the view outside, until she looked down and realised that she hadn’t been sketching the view at all. Not for a few pages. A heavy brow, with a small scar underneath, pulled down into a scowl over an intense eye was drawn here, the delicate long fingers holding a teacup there, the side of a neck and a prominent collarbone, high cheekbones and a perfect nose, and lips … there was a whole page of those lips. Kara blinked in surprise; she hadn’t even realised she’d been drawing Lena, but her mind had subconsciously gone to her as she’d thought about what trouble she’d get them into tonight. A small crease formed between Kara’s eyebrows as she felt a funny twinge, and she snapped the sketchbook shut and shoved it deep into her bag.

 

            For the rest of the ride, Kara busied herself reading a book she’d brought along and occasionally capturing Alex in conversation as she tried to distract herself. She wasn’t sure _why_ she was distracting herself, but she was sure there was a reason for it, and didn’t want to acknowledge what that reason was. Not that her sketches meant anything – they were just sketches – but Kara didn’t want to admit that she had been distracted by thinking about Lena. She didn’t want to admit that she was _almost_ looking forward to her company, because as much as they bickered and argued, they kept each other on their toes and it challenged them both, and they were both stubborn enough to enjoy the challenge. Sometimes when one of them was genuinely pissed off, it did make things difficult and dragged back up all the reasons for why they were doing this, but when they wound each other up, Kara had to stop herself from laughing because it was so funny. She suspected that Lena almost felt the same, because she sure did love to tease Kara at any given opportunity.

 

            She still had her nose buried in the book when they pulled up outside Lena’s estate, alone except for her four other security guards, and approached the front door, which was being pulled open for her. The uniformed man bowed to Kara as she walked inside, and she spotted Jess nearby, who curtsied as she approached.

 

            “Your Majesty,” Jess said, giving Kara a smile, “if you’ll please follow me, I’ll take you to Her Highness.”

 

            “Thank you, Jess,” Kara said, falling into step beside the woman, who walked slowly so that she was the tiniest bit behind Kara. Turning to look at Jess, Kara cleared her throat slightly, “what kind of mood is she in today?”

 

            Jess laughed nervously, giving Kara a hesitant smile, “it is much improved since the arrangement of a poker night. Although, she is quite … abrupt, and I should tread carefully, if I may be so bold, Your Majesty.”

 

            “Ah, is it because of me?”

 

            “Her Royal Highness has never introduced someone to her friends,” Jess said with a slight shrug, “I think she’s nervous. You’ve met Lady Samantha, and I’m aware that it went smoothly … but the Princess is concerned about keeping up a front with everyone else. Although, I don’t think she would admit it.”

 

            Kara let out a quiet snort of laughter, “of course she wouldn’t. Thank you, Jess, I’m sure I’ll be able to handle her.”

 

            Jess nodded, taking them outside and procuring an umbrella for Kara before they did so, which one of the security guards held over her head for her. Kara wondered what Lena could possibly be doing outside in such dreary weather, when they came to a greenhouse, and Kara could see Hector stood outside the door. Jess curtsied as Hector bowed slightly and opened the door for Kara, and with orders for her guards to make themselves scarce, Kara stepped inside. It was surprisingly almost warm inside, and there was green _everywhere_ and she was grateful that she’d brought her bag in with her because she desperately wanted to sketch the place. She hadn’t realised that the greenhouse had been there last time she’d visited – Lena hadn’t given her a tour – and she was surprised to see the flourishing flowers and plants, which had clearly been tended to with care, but what was more surprising was the sight of Lena pruning a rose bush as Kara stepped around a large flower climbing up a trellis at the back and spotted her. It made sense though, because Kara remembered all the times she’d brought Lena flowers, and how her gratitude had seemed genuine – but it was surprising nonetheless. She didn’t see Kara, who took a moment to snap a photo for Instagram, because she was too engrossed in her work, which Kara was hesitant to disturb. She stood there for a few moments, debating whether or not to speak, when Lena turned around to reach for a pair of shears and froze as she saw Kara lurking near by.

 

            “Fuck me,” Lena exclaimed, one muddy glove going to her heart as she scowled at Kara.

 

            “Not even when we’re married,” Kara quipped, taking a step towards her, a small smile playing on her lips at the old joke.

 

            Fumbling with the shears and her gardening gloves, Lena managed to pick them up and turned her back on Kara, “why were you standing there watching me like a bloody creep?”

 

            “I, uh, I only just got here,” Kara lied, not wanting to tell Lena that she’d been, well, watching her like a creep, as Lena had put it. “I didn’t realise you liked gardening.”

 

            “Well, that’s because you don’t know me very well,” Lena curtly replied.

 

            Kara let out a quiet laugh, shaking her head as she stared at Lena’s back. They knew each other better than they wanted to admit, and perhaps that would be because that would mean admitting that, in some small capacity, they cared about each other. Maybe not to the extent of friendship, but in a different way, which was just as worrisome, because neither of them wanted to _care_ ; that would create problems that they couldn’t even begin to imagine. If things went south with the contract, even caring in the slightest would make things more difficult, which was why they bickered and argued and pushed each other’s buttons, because at least then they could remind themselves how infuriating the other was.

 

            “So what’s the plan for today?”

 

            “Well _I_ have to cancel my kickboxing class now, because _someone_ showed up early even though I tried to tell them not to,” Lena said in a clipped tone.

 

            Kara gave her a sheepish smile, “sorry! I just thought we could have lunch and go over our plan tonight. It’s twelve now, so if you’re hungry …”

 

            “Let me just finish up here.”

 

            Sitting down on the brick path that snaked in and out of the maze of plants and flowers, Kara pulled out her sketchbook and started drawing the roses … and then Lena. Flipping to a new page, Kara started sketching the tulips in a nearby flowerbed. Once she grew tired of drawing flowers, she switched to reading, and was so engrossed in her book that she didn’t realise that Lena was done until a shadow fell across the page she was reading. Looking up, Kara raised her eyebrows slightly and smiled. “All done?”

 

            Lena gave her a curt nod and Kara climbed to her feet, shoving her book into her bag and turned towards the exit. She felt a brief touch on her pants, and Kara whirled around to look at Lena, who was holding a leaf, “you had a leaf stuck on your ass,” she said, tossing it aside as she shrugged. Kara fought back a blush and murmured her thanks, before letting Lena guide them through the twists and turns of the large greenhouse. They came outside to the dreary grey weather, and briskly walked towards the manor house, hoping the rain would hold off long enough for them to gross the grounds. Inside, Lena gave Jess orders to get the chef to make lunch, and she led Kara through to a small room with a table for two looking out onto the garden. Kara pulled Lena’s chair out for her, before sitting down across from her, and they got straight into planning for this evening.

 

\---

 

            Kara was anxiously pacing back and forth, a glass of white wine in hand and the other, nervously running her fingers over the dress that Lena had picked out for her. Mercifully, it was a modest looking blue dress, so she _looked_ the part, but now Kara was worried about acting the part. They had become better at the pretending, but these were Lena’s friends, and while they had managed to fool Sam, they might not be able to pull it off with the four of them that Lena had invited. Kara was starting to regret her decision to make it up to Lena; at least at the polo match she would’ve had more people to mingle with.

 

            “Will you _stop_ pacing,” Lena snapped, “you’re making me bloody nervous.”

 

            “Sorry,” Kara murmured, sighing as she walked over to the sofa and sat down beside Lena, taking a sip of her wine. They were silent as they listened to the soft sound of classical music playing in the background, and the sound of the fire crackling in the grate. It was almost relaxing, except for the panicked feeling that Kara was experiencing. More than anything, she didn’t want to let Lena down; she didn’t want to disappoint her or embarrass her in front of her friends, because she knew that this was a big deal for Lena, who looked rather tense as she hunched her shoulders over and scowled at nothing in particular.

 

            It wasn’t much longer until Sam was announced, and she curtsied to both of the girls, accepting a drink off the man who came forward with a silver tray. Kara fell into easy conversation with her, already comfortable after having met her, and Sam was as warm as ever. They were discussing Sam’s daughter when the next two showed up; Gayle Marsh and Jack Spheer. Lena made quick introductions, her hand lingering on Kara’s waist as they both climbed to their feet and were met by a curtsy and a bow.

 

            “This is Gayle Marsh, and this is Jack Spheer,” Lena said, gesturing to them both in turn. Kara knew that Gayle was the daughter of a world renowned psychologist, famous for a theory on mindfulness and psychoanalysis, while Jack was the C.E.O. of a big medical company in London, geared towards cancer research. While she had never crossed paths with them, she was familiar with their name, and wasn’t the least bit surprised that all of Lena’s friends would be less than suitable in Lillian’s eyes. Only Sam was titled, but she was adopted and a teen mother, which would have been seen as a shortcoming as well. They were still making polite talk when the final guest arrived, and Kara gave her old schoolmate a warm smile.

 

            “Veronica, hi, it’s been a while,” Kara said, as the lips of the other woman curled up into a smirk that Kara knew all too well. It had been the smile she would give someone when Veronica was about to get into trouble at school, and during their senior year, Lena had never been far from it.

 

            “Your Majesty,” Veronica said, and Lena let out a snort of laughter.

 

            She waved everyone over to the sofas, and sat down next to Kara, who casually placed a hand on Lena’s knee, peeking out of the corner of her eyes to see if she was okay with the move. Looking at ease, Lena took a sip of her wine and smiled. “You don’t have to be so formal because of Kara,” Lena told them all, shooting Kara a tight smile, “you don’t mind, do you?”

 

            “Of course not, darling,” Kara agreed, wrinkling her nose as she smiled at Lena.

 

            “Oh God, I’m just … this whole thing is surreal to me,” Veronica said, watching them both with raised eyebrows.

 

            Lena laughed, arching one of her eyebrows as Veronica, “what’s wrong, Ronnie? Are you upset that I hid it for so long?”

 

            “No,” Veronica replied, rolling her eyes, “ _but_ I did go to school with both of you, and I would _never_ have picked you two to end up together. No offence, but _you_ were a bit gothy and angry all the time, and well … Your Majesty, you were always the model student.”

 

            “Please, I’m not here as a queen tonight,” Kara quickly corrected her, feeling awkward about the girl she’d gone to school with being so formal towards her. It made her uncomfortable when it was anyone, but especially people she _knew_. “Besides, I think that we’re both a bit different than we used to be. Lena doesn’t have green hair anymore, although, she’s still as angry.”

 

            Gayle let out a surprised laugh, and Jack’s eyebrows shot up in surprised amusement, “well, I bet you keep her on her toes, don’t you?”

 

            “Always,” Kara said, giving Lena a sweet smile.

 

            They talked for a little while, before they got into what everyone had come here for; poker. In the games room, there was a large poker table in the middle, and one of Lena’s staff members stood in as the dealer while the six of them crowded around, their drinks in hand and cocky words falling from their lips as they wound each other up. Veronica owned a chain of casinos all across the globe, and so poker nights, and a number of other gambling games, were a regular occurrence for the group of friends … not so much for Kara though.

 

            Frowning down at her cards, Kara looked up and met Gayle’s amused smile. “Never played before?”

 

            “I’m not much of a gambler,” Kara shrugged as she grimaced, “you look like you’re about to read me though, so now I’m a bit nervous.”

 

            “It’s Ronnie you need to look out for,” Sam said, sat to Kara’s left and looking down at her own cards with a blank face, “she doesn’t even have a tell, as far as I know.”

 

            Lena laughed, taking a sip of her whiskey as she smirked around the rim of her glass, “oh but she _does_ , I just haven’t shared it with anyone. How do you think I beat her last time?”

 

            Veronica spluttered, “I do _not_ have a tell! Jack, tell her. I don’t have a tell.”

 

            “Well I don’t bloody well know what it is, do I?” Jack grumbled, “I haven’t won a hand for the past three game nights. I’m starting to think you’re all cheating.”

 

            “Or maybe you’re just shit at it,” Kara shrugged, the words coming out before she could stop them. She froze slightly as everyone looked at her in shock – including Lena – and then they all burst into laughter while Kara tried to fight back a blush as she gave Jack an apologetic look. With everyone riled up and ready to play, the dealer turned over the card, and everyone turned serious as they scrutinised each other’s faces and threw chips into the middle of the table.

 

\---

 

            “No way.”

 

            “You did _not_ just take all of my fucking money.”

 

            “You said you’d never played before!”

 

            Kara sheepishly raked the pile of chips towards her, winning the last hand of the night and taking everyone’s chips. She shrugged as gave them all small smiles, “I said I’ve never gambled before … not that I’ve never played poker before.”

 

            “Wha- you lied to me!” Lena spluttered, giving Kara an accusing look and getting an apologetic smile in return. “I shouldn’t even be surprised; you were the only person at school who could keep up with me in maths – no offence Ronnie.”

 

            Veronica just shrugged, a look of surprise on her face as she stared at Kara, “I’m just impressed that you were so _bad_ on purpose. You lost _every_ other hand! I thought for sure that you weren’t faking your facial expressions, but _fuck_ , I can’t believe you played us all.”

 

            “Well, I’m good at pretending,” Kara said, turning to give Lena a playful smile, “I mean, everyone thinks I’m in love with Lena.” They all laughed, including Lena, and Kara’s smile grew wider at the warning in Lena’s eyes, telling her not to push it too far, and Kara gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek, which had turned pink as Lena blushed slightly. Sam and Veronica were biting back smiles at Lena’s embarrassment, and Kara let out a quiet laugh.

 

            She didn’t even know that she was _actually_ falling in love.


	17. Chapter 17

             Kara woke up the next morning to a pillow hitting her in the face, and she groaned as she blearily opened her eyes and fumbled for her glasses. “What time is it?”

 

             “Seven,” Lena replied, and Kara let out a louder groan as she struggled to sit upright on the sofa. The blanket pooled down around her waist and she stretched as she yawned. “How’s your back?”

 

             “Your sofa is surprisingly comfortable,” Kara mumbled, climbing to her feet and neatly folding the blanket, draping it over the back of the sofa as she rounded on Lena. Everyone had stayed over last night, and it would’ve been suspicious if Kara stayed in a guest room, given Lena’s personality as someone who wouldn’t exactly be traditional, which meant that Kara had slept on the sofa in Lena’s private living room. “Why did you wake me up so early?”

 

             “Breakfast,” Lena shrugged, “you know where the bathroom is – help yourself.”

 

             Kara murmured her thanks and walked through Lena’s rooms and into the bathroom. A quick shower woke her up, and she was soon buttoning up her shirt as she walked out of the bathroom. Lena was lounging on the sofa, talking to Veronica, who had come in while Kara was showering, and looked as immaculate as always in a red dress that was almost inappropriate for the early hour.

 

             “Oh, good morning, Veronica,” Kara said, giving the other girl a smile as she dropping a kiss on Lena’s cheek as she walked past and sat down on the sofa opposite her. “Have you come to win back your fortune?”

 

             Veronica laughed, her lips curling up into a slight smirk, “no, it was well earned. You deceived us all, _but_ I will be expecting a rematch.”

 

             “I look forward to it,” Kara smiled brightly at her, “so, where are we going for breakfast?” She directed the question towards Lena, who turned to look at her with a look of slight confusion.

 

             “Here?”

 

             “Oh come on, Lena, let’s go out with your friends before I go home,” Kara said, “I know the cameras are annoying, but I know you love the omelette’s at that hotel you took me to that one time.”

 

             Rolling her eyes, Lena gave her a small smile, “okay, fine, but you’re not getting the chocolate pancakes again. Seriously, darling, it’s way too much sugar to be eating so early in the morning.”

 

             Kara let out a heavy sigh, but climbed to her feet, “fine. Let me fetch my shoes.”

 

             “I’ll go and fetch Gayle and Jack,” Veronica said, shooting to her feet as Kara did, while Lena stayed stretched out on the sofa, carelessly ignoring protocol as she was wont to do. Kara quickly fetched a pair of heels from her packed bag and slipped them on, before grabbing a coat to fend off the howling wind outside. It looked like it might rain, and she was hoping that would be enough to deter the photographers and reporters, just for a little while. Any sort of reprieve would be a relief.

 

             Half an hour later, she was climbing into the back of Lena’s car, with Lena, hector, and two other guards, while Lena’s friends all slid into another car. The gates of the estate slid open for them, and they were soon pulling out into the city and making their way towards the restaurant at the hotel that Kara had suggested. It didn’t take long for them to reach their destination, and soon enough they were all sat around the table, some of them nursing slight hangover from the amount they’d drunk last night, and talking in low voices. None of them were strangers to rumours that could be spread from overheard conversations in restaurants, and they were all wary of the other guests in the hotel as they sipped their coffee and enjoyed a wide variety of the foods that were offered. Kara let out a sound of protest as Lena sneaked a strawberry off her plate - she’d picked French toast with strawberries and maple syrup, much to Lena’s disapproval – and she reached over to Lena’s plate to steal a slice of toast, giving her a sweet smile as she took a bite.

 

             Rolling her eyes, Lena grimaced at her and pinched another strawberry, returning the smile, which looked sweet but was brought about by a sense of satisfaction at irritating the other. Kara was enjoying learning more about Lena through the way she talked to her friends – even if Lena was sometimes hesitant to label them as such, it was clear she cared about them – and she was surprised to find that she really liked them. She had thought that all of Lena’s friends would be just as sharp and witty as she was, but they all seemed to be charming, even if Veronica and Gayle did seem to be a little similar to Lena in terms of personality. Kara liked them anyway. She was in the middle of listening to Sam tell them a story about her daughter, when her phone started to ring.

 

             “Excuse me, I have to take this,” Kara said, staring down at Alex’s name on the screen, and she pushed her chair back, dropping her napkin onto the table as she stood, while everyone except Lena climbed to their feet. Sliding across to answer, Kara moved towards the restrooms to escape the low buzz of conversation and the lilting piano notes that drifted from the grand piano in the far corner. “Hello?”

 

 _“You need to get to the palace right now,”_ Alex told her.

 

             “What’s wrong?”

 

_“I- it’s- I’m sure Lillian will want to discuss it with you. Just get to the palace, and take Lena with you.”_

             Panicking slightly, but trying to keep it hidden, Kara walked back through the restaurant and hovered behind Lena, resting a gentle hand on her shoulder as she leant down. “Our presence is requested at the palace.”

 

             “Well tell them to wait,” Lena said, turning her head slightly to look up at Kara. She blinked slightly at the look of alarm in Kara’s eyes, already dropping the napkin onto the table.

 

             “I think it’s important,” Kara murmured, aware of Lena’s friends watching them. Lena nodded, climbing to her feet as everyone else did too, and Kara gave them all an apologetic smile. “I’m so sorry to cut breakfast short, but it’s been wonderful to meet you all, and I hope I see you soon.”

 

             There were cheek kisses and hugs all around, with an invitation to Veronica’s next party, and Jack’s insistence that Kara visit if she ever found herself in London. Their coats were fetched for them, and two of the servers helped them into them, and Lena settled everyone’s bill at the front of the restaurant. Kara blinked in surprise at the number of photographers and reporters milling around outside – she had forgotten about them during breakfast – and she wondered why there were so many of them milling around. Something big had happened, and they already seemed to know what it was about. As one of Kara’s guards opened the door for her, she was met with camera flashes and Kara felt slightly panicked, looking at Lena, who slipped her hand into Kara’s and gave it a reassuring squeeze. She didn’t look too happy about the photographers either, which was why, for the most part, they tried to stay out of public places, because no matter where they went, there was always at least three of them. Kara’s two security guards pushed the crowd of reporters back, and Kara felt her heart pounding in her chest at the overwhelming shouts and number of people around – the last time this had happened, her family had been killed and she’d taken to the throne – and Hector pressed a hand to both girl’s backs and quickly manoeuvred them through the space the other guards made.

 

             Within minutes, they were both in the back seat of the car, hidden by tinted windows, and watching as the paparazzi crowded around the front of the car to try and sneak photos through the windscreen. Kara’s breathing was speeding up, and Lena was looking at her with eyes wide with concern. Unbuckling her belt, she slid across the back seat and grabbed her by the shoulders, giving her a gentle shake, “Kara? Are you okay?”

 

             Shaking her head, Kara kept breathing raggedly, “no, no, something’s wrong. Something bad-“

 

             “You don’t know that,” Lena told her, “my mom’s probably just being her usual bloody controlling self.” She took one of Kara’s hands in her own and squeezed it tightly. “Just … think about something else.”

 

             “What?”

 

             “I don’t know! Anything.”

 

             Kara looked up at Lena, frowning at the worry she saw in her eyes. Lena was worried for _her_ , and it was surprising. Not that she thought Lena was as stone cold as she pretended to be, but she had never been one to let her emotions break through her mask so easily, unless she was losing control. Kara stared into her eyes, and she fumbled for something to say, “you have beautiful eyes. I always thought brown eyes were my favourite – you know, when you see them in the sun and they turn amber and they’re just so beautiful. I never really noticed how nice green eyes are. I never really noticed how nice _you_ are, but that’s mostly because you’re kind of a dick sometimes – no offence – but you’re actually a nice person. I think that maybe if we weren’t in this situation, we might be able to be friends, but I would never tell you that because you would just laugh and belittle me for it because you don’t want to admit that you like me. It’s okay though, we don’t have to be friends, we just have to get married and have kids and pretend we’re happy for the rest of our lives, so that’s so much better, right?”

 

             “Fucking hell, are you trying to make _me_ panic?” Lena exclaimed, pulling away when she realised that they were already in traffic and heading towards the palace. She did her seatbelt up and stared at Kara, looking slightly aghast. “That was literally the _worst_ way to distract yourself, you stupid cow. How is that supposed to be any less stressful?”

 

             “I don’t know!” Kara exclaimed, “I was just looking into your eyes! You said talk about anything and that was the first thing that came to mind.”

 

             Lena let out a slightly hysterical laugh, “well thanks for the bloody compliment – that part was fine, and very good for my ego – but _why_ would your mind go to something that’s potentially a thousand times _more_ stressful than whatever poxy thing my mom wants to talk about?”

 

             Kara shrugged, gesturing vaguely, “I was just thinking out loud.”

 

             Lena bit back a smile as she watched Kara calm down, her breathing even again as she bickered with Lena. If there was one thing to take her mind off her panic, it would be arguing with Lena, who had a special knack for irritating Kara to no end. “Well can you think more in your head thanks.”

 

             “I take it back; you’re not nice and you’re still a dick,” Kara huffed, crossing her arms and sinking low in her seat as she peeked over the edge of the window and watched the first few drops of rain splatter on the window. Lena quietly laughed to herself as she got under Kara’s skin, and she turned to stare out the window as the city flashed past in a blur of people, shops and restaurants. They slowed as they neared the gates, and Kara swallowed the lump in her throat as she took in the sight of news vans parked haphazardly on the side of roads, while dozens of reporters were stood outside the front gates with cameras pointed on them as they reported on whatever they knew that Kara didn’t. Making their way to one of the side gates, they were let into the small courtyard and ushered inside, walking slowly as they tried to remain calm.

 

             Maggie was waiting inside the palace doors, and she dipped her head respectfully, before informing Lena that her mother was waiting for them in her office. Lena set off at a brisk pace, and Kara followed after her, aching to find out what was wrong so that she could fix it, or at least stop panicking. Up two flights of stairs and down a corridor, Lena opened a door and stepped inside, not bothering to knock, and Kara quickly stepped in after her and shut the door. Lillian was sitting behind a desk, and she climbed to her feet as the two girls stepped in, Kara’s eyes immediately going to Alex, who was stood nearby with her arms crossed, and then over to Alana – Lena’s lawyer – before resting on Lillian, who looked pissed.

 

             “Well? What reason do you have from dragging up away from breakfast?” Lena curtly asked, jutting her chin forward slightly as she faced her mother.

 

             Lillian reached for the newspaper laying off the the side, unfolding it and dropping it onto the desk with an audible thud. Lena walked forward and plucked it off the desk, her eyes quickly scanning the front page, before she handed it off to Kara without a word.

 

_‘Mendacious Monarchs’_

 

             Kara frowned at the title, before she realised that the photo underneath was of her and Lena, hand in hand, and smiling at each other. They knew they were lying. They were the liars in question, and she quickly tore open the newspaper to read the full article. A grainy photo of the front page of their marriage contract was printed in black and white, and there was a two page article speculating every inch of their relationship – from the sudden appearance of it, to the romantic meet ups on Kara’s coronation tour, and the lavish gifts.

 

             “Oh no.”

 

             "Well personally,  _I_ think the title is a bit pretentious," Lena sniffed disapprovingly, "I mean, why not just say the royal family is made up of a bunch of lying bastards?"

 

             “What did you do?” Lillian snapped at Lena, whose mouth fell open as she turned back to face her mother.

 

             “ _Me?!”_ Lena exclaimed, her face contorting into a look of anger, “I didn’t do _anything!”_

 

             Lillian scoffed, sitting back down behind her desk and frowning at her daughter, “I find that hard to believe. You’ve been against this from the beginning.”

 

             “Of course I have!” Lena snapped, “this whole … _thing_ is ridiculous. Neither of us wanted it, and you can’t just sit there and blame this on me when we should never have been in this position in the first place! Why would I have spent the last five and a half _months_ trying to keep this shitty act going if I was just going to out us and lose _everything_.”

 

             “We didn’t do anything wrong though,” Kara interrupted, feeling a lump form in her throat at the fear of what would happen next. “So we can’t be held accountable for it, and we won’t lose anything _because_ of this.”

 

             “Your aunt and your lawyer are on their way here to discuss this right now,” Lillian said.

 

             Lena sighed, and rolled her eyes, “great, well, in the meantime, I’m going to go and … do literally _anything_.”

 

             “You’ll sit here and wait,” Lillian stiffly told her, “ _or_ you’ll take a nice walk around the gardens with Her Majesty, and act like you don’t have a care in the world.”

 

             “I’ll take the walk,” Lena said, turning around and opening the door. She left it open as she walked out, and Kara looked around the room, shrugged, and followed her out, with Alex excusing herself and chasing after her. All three of them still had their coats on, so they made their way straight downstairs, and Kara could hear Lena’s muttered curses as they came to the doors leading outside, and saw the rain lashing against it. Still, Lena didn’t hesitate as she walked towards it, and one of the guards bowed and opened the door for her. She stormed outside, turning up the collar of her coat, and Kara followed after her with a small sigh, frowning as her glasses were speckled with raindrops. Behind her, Alex swore under her breath as she stepped outside after Kara.

 

             Walking through the gardens, Lena led them to a large pavilion standing on the edge of the lake, seeking reprieve from the rain. She walked over to the edge of the railing and leant on it, and Kara joined her, while Alex sat down at the stone bench along the opposite side as she gave the two girls some space. Kara ran her fingers along the grain of the wood, staring out at the water, watching the surface ripple as the raindrops peppered it. Beside her, Lena silently fumed, and Kara felt a feeling of dread spread throughout her. If people believed it – if they knew the _truth_ – they would both be thrown under the bus. The whole point of this was to help them gain popularity and rebrand the whole image of their royal families, while presenting themselves as some fairytale love story that people would buy into. If people knew the truth, they would lose whatever favour they’d amassed over the past few months, and while they would gain more fame from it, they wouldn’t be more popular because of it. It would leave them worse off than before, and the whole thing would be for nothing.

 

             After a few moments, Kara broke the silence, because she had to ask. Taking a deep breath, she kept her gaze forward, not able to bring herself to look Lena in the eye as she asked, “you didn’t …”

 

             The question behind her words was clear enough, and she could see Lena’s head whip around to face her – or rather glare – and Kara swallowed the lump in her throat, bracing herself for the anger that was about to burst forth. “You think that I’m _lying_?” Lena snarled, “you think that I would risk my fucking title and fortune after so long of pretending? If I was going to do this, I would’ve done it at the bloody beginning, and I wouldn’t have let it leak. I’m not a coward; I would’ve made a public statement about how bloody awful and twisted our parents were. You claim that you know me, but if you think that I would do something like this … you know me even less than you do. You’re unbelievable.”

 

             “I’m sorry,” Kara muttered, “I had to ask. I had to make sure, and so should you.”

 

             “Bollocks,” Lena hissed, her eyes blazing with anger when Kara turned to look in her eyes, “I don’t need to ask you fuck all because I know that you would never do this. _I_ trust you enough to know that you wouldn’t, and it’s shitty for you to even consider that I might’ve.”

 

             “You’re right, I’m sorry,” Kara apologised again, “I just … I know it’s been harder for you than it has for me.”

 

             “And why is that?”

 

             Kara hesitated, frowning slightly as she considered the question. Lena’s gaze was intense as Kara stared at her, opening and closing her mouth a couple of times as she tried to come up with something to say. “I don’t know … I just- I’m not as closed off as you. You have a problem with lying; why is that?”

 

             Lena let out a snort of laughter, shaking her head slightly, “because I’ve grown up around liars, and I’ve grown up being forced to play this game, and I don’t trust anyone. I have my friends, but I wouldn’t trust them with this – _us_ – even if the contract allowed me too. Seems like I was right not to, because _someone’s_ leaked it. So sorry if I have a problem with people lying all the time. I’ve had to play that part in front of the cameras my entire life, and I don’t need it from people when I’m not playing the part.”

 

             “Right, yeah, of course,” Kara murmured, “I’m sorry. I should know by now that you’d never lie.”

 

             “Good.”

 

             Kara sighed, shuffling a bit closer to Lena, who was shivering slightly in the cold. “Um, so, I’m going to put my arms around you, if that’s okay. I’m sure there’s cameras and eyes somewhere, and you look a bit cold.”

 

             “Whatever,” Lena muttered, turning back to stare out at the lake. Kara smiled slightly as she shuffled closer, standing behind Lena and wrapping her arms around her waist. Gently, Kara popped her chin on Lena’s shoulder and let out a small sigh.

 

             “What do you think happened?” Kara asked.

 

             “I guess we’ll find out.”

 

             Kara hesitated for a moment, feeling the warmth of Lena between all of their layers, and her own heart beating in her chest. “What do you think will happen … with us?”

 

             “I guess we’ll find that out too.”

 

             They were silent for a few minutes, and then Kara took a deep breath, before asking another question. Lena was already sighing as she heard the unmistakable deep breath that meant Kara was going to ask another question, and she prepared herself for it. “Lena? If everyone decides that we can get out of the contract … do you want to end it?”

 

             Lena hesitated for a moment, before letting out a shaky breath. “I guess that depends on _how_ we can get out of it. If we get to keep everything, then of course, but if technically the contract is valid and we’ll lose everything by ending it, then why would I leave? That would defeat the whole purpose of this.”

 

             “Oh, well I guess you’re right.”

 

             “Why, are you hoping that they’ll say that the contract is void because someone _else_ leaked it?”

 

             Kara shrugged slightly, holding Lena just the tiniest bit tighter, “well it would solve all of our problems.”

 

             “Not all of them,” Lena murmured, and Kara wondered what problems she was thinking about. Things were never easy for Lena, and she wondered if perhaps the contract had made things easier for her in some ways. It might’ve given her mother power over her, and she might resent it more than anything, but it also gave Lena the freedom to not have to deal with any feelings, because the contract had removed any feelings from it - it was just a business deal for popularity and fame. In some ways, having no choice made things easier for Lena because she didn’t have to worry about falling in love. While she absolutely hated the fact that her mom could dangle the contract over her head, and threaten her with it if she wanted to, the fact that she would inevitably marry Kara made her both burn with rage _and_ feel some small relief. Lena didn’t have to worry about liking her, and she didn’t have to worry about someone leaving her; they were both stuck in it, whether they wanted to be or not. Except now, they might have an out, and a tiny spark of hope and fear filled both of them. They had gotten used to each other, and had enjoyed their little game of tormenting and teasing, and now it might be over.

 

\---

 

             “I think the leak came from your end, Your Majesty,” Lucy said, sitting beside Kara on one side of the table, staring across at Lillian, Lena and Alana.

 

             “ _My_ end?” Lillian sharply asked, “why would you think that?”

 

             Lucy fiddled with her pen, before reaching for her photocopy of Kara’s contract. She also produced a clipping from the newspaper with the grainy photograph and slid them both across the table. “As you know, there were two copies of the contract; one for the Zor-El family, and one for the Luthor family. Both exact copies and equally as binding … except for one minor change. There’s a number one or two on the contract, depending on which copy it is. You’re are in possession of copy one, which is the one pictured in this article.”

 

             Looking down at the newspaper for a moment, and then procuring her copy of the contract, Lillian looked at them both, before turning to Alana. “You’re fired.”

 

             “You can’t fire _my_ lawyer, mom,” Lena snorted, rolling her eyes as she crossed her arms over her chest.

 

             “I can do whatever I please, and _she_ might’ve just cost us this whole thing,” Lillian snapped.

 

             Lucy cleared her throat slightly, “Your Majesty, if I may. I believe that this is a photograph of a photocopy of the contract. Not the photocopy that both lawyers have been presented with. You can see here on your real copy, the seal shines, whilst a photocopy of it doesn’t. So I would assume that someone has snuck a photo of the photocopy.”

 

             Lillian made a disapproving sound, “well then, the question is, _how_ would they have managed to take a photo of a confidential contract that should have been kept in a safe?”

 

             “I can assure you, Your Majesty, the only person who has access to your personal files in my safe is myself and my assistant,” Alana quickly said, “and seeing as it _wasn’t_ me, I will be firing my assistant the second this meeting is over.”

 

             “I'll be having them prosecuted to the _fullest_ extent to the law,” Lillian vowed, and Lucy shifted in her seat.

 

             “Forgive me, Your Majesty, but I don’t think it will be possible. Not if you want to do damage control and save face with this situation. The leak … well, it’s the truth. We can’t take them to court over a leak of the truth, even if the source was a confidential contract. You could sue them over _that_ , but again, if you want to do damage control, admitting that there _was_ an actual contract will not help your case. The best case scenario is this assistant is fired, and Her Majesty and Highness both try and push through the rumours and deny them at every turn with even more demonstrations of their love. Worst case ... you allow the contract to be broken, both parties will have to adhere to the contract, and it will essentially mean that you're admitting to a PR relationship, which may damage the reputation of both families.”

 

             Everyone fell silent for a moment, waiting to see what was going to happen yet, and Kara found herself looking at Lena, who was staring out the window of the conference room. She didn’t meet Kara’s gaze, and so Kara looked to Alex, who was sat next to her, feeling like an inexperienced child as she waited for someone else to determine her future for her. “Well, what’re we to do now?” Lena eventually asked when it was clear no one else was going to say anything, “if we break off the contract am I going to lose everything?”

 

             “You can’t break the contract,” Lillian snapped, “you haven’t broken the terms, so you’ll lose everything if you back out now. Even if that didn’t bother you, I still wouldn’t let you, because it would just prove their suspicions right if you suddenly broke it off now. No … we need to do something else.”

 

             Astra had been silent up until then, but she cleared her throat and leant forward in her seat, “perhaps we could … move the engagement up.”

 

             “You must be having a fucking laugh!”

 

             “Absolutely _not!”_

 

             Alex let out a snort of laughter, “well I’m glad that you two are finally agreeing on things.”

 

             Kara shot her sister an exasperated look, unable to find the humour in the situation, and Lena just ignored her completely. “Kara and I have an agreement; we work things out together, and you stay out of our business. You got us into this bloody mess and I damn well won’t let you stick your nose in now and try and tell us how to behave,” Lena curtly told everyone, sitting rigidly in her seat with her hands balled into fists on the table before her.

 

             “So what then?” Kara asked Lena, who met her gaze, “what do you want us to do?”

 

             Lena hesitated, biting her bottom lip as she thought, “we ignore it-“

 

             “Oh come _on_ , Lena,” Lillian huffed, “you think ignoring it is going to appease them? You need to be more in love than ever before. You need to make sure there is no room for even an inch of doubt. You need your faces plastered on every magazine, newspaper and TV across the _world_. You need to go out more, go to more charity events, be in more public spaces, kiss more, spoil each other, you need to convince _yourselves_.”

 

             “We’re trying our _best_ ,” Lena snapped, and Kara took her glasses off to run a hand over her weary face.

 

             “Well you’re not doing enough!” Lillian shouted, and Kara let out a heavy sigh, closing her eyes.

 

             Kara’s mouth felt dry and she stumbled over the words, “we’ll do whatever it takes.”

 

             Lillian and Astra nodded, and Lena muttered something indistinguishable under her breath, before pushing her chair back and climbing to her feet. Kara sighed and pushed her own chair back, excusing herself as she chased after Lena, who was stalking out of the room in anger. Setting a brisk pace, Kara struggled to keep up with her as they made their way through the palace, towards Lena’s old rooms. She barely had time to slip inside with Lena, before the door was slammed shut and Lena gave it an extra kick just to make sure.

 

             “Are you okay?”

 

             “What do you think?” Lena snapped, and Kara pressed her lips together in a grim line. Lena exhaled sharply, pinching the bridge of her nose as she paced back and forth, “sorry, I didn’t mean to snap. I just don’t need anymore pressure – this is hard enough as it is.”

 

             “I know,” Kara murmured.

 

             Lena let out a frustrated groan, “I just- I’m _trying_ , you know I’m trying right? And she acts like it’s so fucking easy, when she doesn’t even know- and it’s not like we _want_ to be doing this in the first place, and she acts like we’re supposed to be in love, when she _knows_ it’s all fake. Like what does she bloody expect? Us to be groping each other in public like teenagers with their first girlfriend? For fuck’s sake.”

 

             Kara silently stood in the middle of the suite, listening to Lena rant while she patiently waited for her to calm down. By now she knew it was best to just let Lena get on with it, otherwise she’d just bite Kara’s head off, but she also couldn’t help but want to interrupt her so they could bicker and at least she wouldn’t have to deal with the maelstrom of emotions churning inside her. There was too much to process. She didn’t know how much longer they could keep this up, not if they had to amp up the love and romance. It was already challenging enough to make it look like they wanted to be holding hands and kissing and being wrapped up in each other’s arms, and now they would have to increase it ten-fold. They would have to visit each other more often, steal more kisses, plaster brighter and more loving smiles on their faces and be seen spoiling each other more in public. It was about to get a whole lot harder.

 

             Eventually, Lena got tired of ranting, and ordered Kara to grab her coat; they were going to the closest bar and they weren’t leaving until they had to hold each other up. Kara was all too willing to agree.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my apologies, but I'm going on holiday tomorrow so this is the last update for like a weekish (i'm sad)

            Kara was only meant to stay overnight, but she ended up staying the whole week. Astra, Alex and Lucy went back to Argo City, leaving Kara in Mercer City to sort things out with Lena. They had made public appearances four times over the following week; first, a shopping trip so Kara could have something to wear while she stayed in Thorul, and then another few times to feed the ducks at a picturesque park, where they ate ice-cream, despite the cold weather, and Kara made Lena go on the swings, much to the other girl’s dismay. Another time, they went bowling with Sam, and Kara made Maggie and Hector play to make it more fun. They were trying their best, without being too suspiciously over the top; holding hands, kissing each other’s cheeks and sharing food, and by the end of the week, they were both at their wits end. It had been hard. Neither were above admitting that, and Lena was struggling more than Kara with the whole arrangement.

 

            It was Saturday morning, and Kara was eating breakfast in the parlour with Lena, looking out over the garden as she picked at her eggs. “So, what’s the plan for today?”

 

            Lena let out a sound of frustration as she slammed the newspaper down and glowered at Kara, “how about we tie bricks to our ankles and go swimming in the lake?”

 

            “Could be fun,” Kara joked, trying to help lighten the mood. Lena wasn’t in a good mood and she didn’t think that Kara’s light hearted attempt to joke with her was funny. Sighing, Kara tilted her head to the side and grimaced at Lena, “what do you want to do? We can do whatever you want.”

 

            “Anything?”

 

            “Anything.”

 

            Lena hesitated for a moment, drumming her fingers on the table as she picked up her coffee and took a sip, staring intently at Kara. “I want to go to a party and drink until I can’t stand.”

 

            Kara groaned, throwing her head back and closing her eyes. “ _Why_ a party?”

 

            “Ronnie is throwing one tonight,” Lena shrugged, “if I remember correctly, she invited you too.”

 

            “She did.”

 

            “So, let’s go,” Lena said, raising her eyebrows suggestively. Kara gave her a wary look, and Lena sighed as she rolled her eyes. “Come on, Kara, I need to … I don’t know, get drunk and forget about this bloody awful contract for just _one_ night. I’ll even bet you for it.”

 

            Letting out a snort of laughter, Kara rolled her eyes and cut up a piece of bacon, “what kind of bet?”

 

            “Well, if I win, you come to the party, and if you win …”

 

            Kara hesitated, thinking hard about what she could get out of the deal. With a bright smile, she looked straight at Lena, “if _I_ win, you have to join me for aviation classes.”

 

            “That’s not fair!” Lena exclaimed, “you _know_ I’m scared of heights!”

 

            “Exactly,” Kara said, looking slightly smug as she looked at Lena, “and this is the perfect way for you to get over that fear. You look like you’re going to pass out whenever you fly, so if _you’re_ in control, it might help.”

 

            “Uh, no, I should bloody well think _not_. I prefer to have the _best_ in charge, and just this once I’m willing to admit that it’s _not_ me.”

 

            Kara’s smile grew wider as she watched Lena scowl at her and spoon some porridge into her mouth. “Well you’d better win then. How’re we choosing the winner? I’ll let your pick because you have more at stake here – I think. I’m not really sure, I’ve never been to one of Veronica’s parties, so I’m not sure how worried I should be.”

 

            Lena let out a snort of laughter, “well, you probably won’t like the vibe – it’s not a pissing tea party – and we’ll settle it with a good old fencing match.”

 

            “What!? I don’t fence!” Kara protested.

 

            “Well, that’s your problem, isn’t it, _sweetheart_ ,” Lena smirked at her, and she climbed to her feet, leaving Kara spluttering as she finished her breakfast alone.

 

            By the time Kara finished eating and found Lena again, it was in one of the small ballroom, where a long stage had been set up. Lena was already dressed in her pristine white fencing gear, while a similar pile was placed nearby. With a smirk, Lena pointed towards the pile with her foil. “They’ll be a bit small, but don’t worry, you’ll only be wearing it for about five minutes.”

 

            “You’re very cocky,” Kara grumbled.

 

            Letting out a loud laugh that echoed slightly, Lena gave her an arrogant smile, “it’s not cocky if you’re good.”

 

            “Yes, it is,” Kara said, pressing her lips together in a grim line. She walked over to pile of gear and picked up the padded jacket with a forlorn look on her face. Looking around, she frowned slightly, before looking at Lena. “Is there a … restroom?”

 

            Rolling her eyes, Lena gestured around the empty room, “does it look like there’s a restroom, Kara? Just get changed; I’ve seen you in a bikini before, _and_ we were both naked in France, in case you’ve forgotten. I’ll turn around.”

 

            Muttering under her breath, Kara waited for Lena and the two bodyguards to avert their eyes, and started unbuttoning her shirt. She soon found herself dressed in the tight fitting gear, and awkwardly holding the foil as she grew used to the balance of it. Lena was laying on the piste, staring up at the ceiling while her legs dangled over the edge, her feet a few inches above the ground as she drummed them against the side of the stage. “Okay, I’m done,” Kara said, swinging her arms around as she tried to accustom herself to the tight clothes and see if they restricted her movements.

 

            Lena jumped to her feet, and then turned to Hector, who still had his gaze averted, “Hector, you can be the referee. I don’t trust her not to cheat.”

 

 _“Me?!”_ Kara spluttered, her mouth falling open as she took offence at Lena’s words.

 

            “In case you’ve forgotten, _you_ cheated when we were skiing in France, so excuse me if I don’t trust you this time, you lying cow.”

 

            Laughing, Kara gave her a sheepish smile, before donning her mask and walking over to the piste. She awkwardly climbed on and got to her feet, throwing her shoulders back and squaring off against Lena, whose face was hidden behind the mesh of her own mask. “Okay, what do I do?”

 

            “We’ll forgo the usual protocol with the salutes; it’ll be over in a minute anyway. Copy my stance, behind the en garde line,” Lena told her, and Kara rolled her eyes. Kara adopted the same fencing stance and raised her foil like Lena had. “We’ll go to first point.”

 

            “That’s not fair,” Kara huffed, “you’ll beat me in two seconds.”

 

            “I know,” Lena shrugged, sounding amused behind her mask, “but I’ll beat you either way, so we may as well just get it over and done with.”

 

            Letting out an exasperated sigh, Kara shook her head, “fine.”

 

            “When you’re ready, Hector,” Lena called out.

 

            Her bodyguard nodded, taking a step closer to the stage and clearing his throat slightly, “en garde.”

 

            Kara darted forward, holding her foil out in the hope that it would keep Lena at bay, but her hope was in vain, because Lena easily batted aside the foil and landed a tap on Kara’s chest. Staring down, Kara took in the point pressed into the padding of the white jacket, and she pouted behind her mask as she looked up at Lena. “Well that wasn’t very fun.”

 

            “It’s not about fun, it’s about winning,” Lena haughtily replied, and Kara scoffed.

 

            “Is everything a competition to you?”

 

            “Everything.”

 

            Kara pulled the mask off and shoved it under one arm as she rolled her eyes, “well it’s not one of your more attractive qualities.”

 

            Lena laughed, pulled her own mask off and smirked at Kara, “so, you admit that I’m attractive then?”

 

            “I said attractive _qualities_ ,” Kara said, stressing the last word as she blushed slightly, and she jumped down off the piste, her bare feet landing on the cold tiled floor. She set the foil down on the stage and held her arms out to help Lena down, “but yes, I told you at my coronation that you were pretty, and I’m not above being honest, so.”

 

            “Actually, I think you used the word beautiful,” Lena smugly said, reaching out for Kara, who huffed and turned away, snatching up her foil and stalking over to her pile of discarded clothes. Lena quietly laughed to herself as she climbed down off the stage, “oh come on, Kara, don’t be embarrassed. It’s not like I don’t know what I look like.”

 

            Kara let out a snort of laughter as she stripped off the jacket, not caring that Lena was looking straight at her, “I see that you’re also _very_ modest. I never took you for a narcissist.”

 

            “I’m not a narcissist,” Lena scoffed, “I’m just aware that I look the way I do, and if I use it properly, I could probably get away with murder. I don’t think I’m better than anyone though, and that doesn’t mean I think I look perfect. I’ve got this little scar from Ronnie to make sure that I’m not.”

 

            “I like it,” Kara shrugged, pulling on her shirt and quickly buttoning it up, “it’s got … character.”

 

            Lena laughed, averting her eyes as Kara stripped off the fitted pants and pulled her own on, before slipping on a pair of heels that lay nearby. “So, would you say it’s one of my more … attractive qualities.” Kara turned to give Lena an exasperated look, and found the other girl smirking as she tried to goad Kara.

 

            “You know what, I changed my mind; none of your qualities are attractive,” Kara grumbled. Fully dressed again, Kara looked at Lena expectantly, “what’s on the agenda for the rest of the day?”

 

            “Shopping,” Lena said, before turning to leave the room. Kara suppressed a small groan and followed after her at a less enthusiastic pace.

 

\---

 

            She was walking down the main street in the city, hand in hand with Lena while they pretended to ignore the camera flashes and shouts of reporters as they crowded around, as close as they could get. They’d already been in half a dozen shops, and Lena had made Kara buy a new dress for the party, telling her that she couldn’t wear any of the things she already owned because it wouldn’t be suitable. Kara had relented, deciding it was easier to just agree than to argue with her, and Lena had picked a tight fitting red one, even though it was the complete opposite of anything Kara had ever worn. She’d bought it though, just to get it over and done with, and they’d carried on shopping.

 

            “In here,” Lena murmured, dragging Kara over to the doors of a shop, where a doorman opened the door for them and they quickly walked inside. If it wasn’t for Lena pulling her along, Kara would’ve stopped dead in her tracks at the sheer amount of lace and frills around the shop.

 

            “ _Why_ are we in here?” Kara hissed.

 

            Lena arched an eyebrow at her, the corners of her lips curling up in to a smile. “What’s wrong?” Lena innocently asked, even though she knew _exactly_ what was wrong. There were a dozen photographers outside and she had dragged them into a designer lingerie and underwear store. Kara fought back a blush as Lena dragged her between the rows of underwear, and the shop assistants all stared at them with wide eyes, scrambling to come to their aide. After assuring them that they were fine, the staff left them alone to browse, and they all backed off and fell into whispered conversation, with one of them sneaking a photo.

 

            “What about this?” Lena asked Kara, plucking a black lacy bra from the rack and holding it up.

 

            Kara cleared her throat slightly, shrugging as she peeked at it quickly, before looking away. “Sure, if you like it.”

 

            “I meant for _you_ ,” Lena said, sighing and rolling her eyes. Kara bit back the sound of surprise that bubbled up, staring at Lena with wide eyes filled with alarm. “It’s supposed to be our one year anniversary coming up soon, so we may as well let them think that we’re shopping for the romantic occasion,” Lena murmured, leaning in close to her. Kara swallowed the lump in her throat as the smell of Lena’s perfume enveloped her, and she was tempted to take a step back and put some distance between them. “Not that the daises aren’t cute.”

 

            Kara flushed bright red, crossing her arms over her chest, even though her bra was hidden by her shirt, and she looked down at the floor. “Can you just _not_ be an ass for five minutes.”

 

            “Alright, don’t get your knickers in a twist,” Lena sighed, putting the bra back on the rack, “but you have to pick _something_. Even if you don’t want to wear it.”

 

            They spent a while browsing the variety of underwear, with Kara trying to steer Lena away from the lingerie in vain. In the end, they both had a pile of underwear, and Lena dragged her to the back of the shop, towards the dressing rooms, and ushered Kara into one of the rooms, before following her inside. Kara looked almost terrified as Lena locked the door behind her, and sat down on one of the plush stools. Kara stared at her with a wary look on her face, “I’m not trying this on in front of you.”

 

            Lena let out a surprised laugh, “please don’t. We’ll just stay in here long enough for them to think that we _are_.”

 

            “Okay,” Kara quietly replied, sitting down on the carpeted floor. They were silent for a few moments, before Kara looked up at Lena. “So, um, this whole one year anniversary thing … when did you want it to be?”

 

            Hesitating for a moment, Lena sat there with a thoughtful look on her face. “Hmm, well it should be coming up within the next two weeks, if we’re going by the logic of our plan. How about we make it October the thirteenth? It’s the Saturday so we-“

 

            “No,” Kara sharply interrupted her, her mouth turning dry as she stared back down at the pile of underwear, playing with the price tag on one of them.

 

            “Superstitious, are you?” Lena laughed.

 

            Kara swallowed the lump in her throat, her tongue feeling thick in her mouth as she replied, “it’s my mom’s birthday.”

 

            Lena slowly exhaled, muttering a curse under her breath, “sorry, I didn’t-“

 

            “It’s fine,” Kara abruptly cut her off, “let’s make it the seventh. I like that number.”

 

            “Okay, the seventh it is,” Lena gently agreed.

 

            Kara nodded, falling silent for a few moments as she got lost in her thoughts. Lena looked at her with mild concern, but she didn’t say anything. She wasn’t good at comforting people, and she wasn’t sure that Kara even needed comforting. Jerking her head up, Kara met Lena’s gaze, “can we go somewhere for it?”

 

            “Of course we will,” Lena agreed, “I was thinking dinner at-“

 

            “No, like out of the country. Somewhere far away … just for a few nights.”

 

            “Anywhere in particular?” Lena asked, and Kara shrugged half-heartedly, “okay, well, leave it with me. I’ll figure something out.”

 

            Kara nodded, and they waited a few more minutes before Lena stood up and grabbed her pile of underwear, opening the door and waving Kara through ahead of her. They both bought everything they’d picked out, and they handed the bags over to one of Kara’s other bodyguards, who was already leaden with their other bags. They went back to Lena’s estate after that, and spent a lazy afternoon lolling around the place, both of them in separate rooms as they took a break from each other.

 

\---

 

            The music was too loud, and Kara winced at the thudding sound that seemed to rattle her teeth. Her dress was shorter than she would’ve liked and the room was stuffy with the amount of people stuffed into it, grinding on the dance floor and spilling drinks everywhere. Kara had worn her contacts to the party, but she found herself nervously trying to adjust her glasses as she pushed her way through the crowd, trying to find Lena. Breaking through a group of young businessmen, Kara let out a sigh of relief when she spotted Lena lounging on a sofa, and she took a sip of her wine and straightened her dress, before she walked over to her.

 

            Lena looked up as Kara approached, a laugh dying on her lips as she turned away from what Veronica was saying to her. “Ah, there’s my darling sweetheart,” Lena said, laughing as Kara gave her a pointed look. She was drunk. “Come, sit down,” Lena said, taking Kara’s hand and dragging her forward, until she all but collapsed onto Lena’s lap.

 

            “How much have you _had_?” Kara said in her ear, trying to make herself heard over the music.

 

            Laughing again, Lena leant in, her lips grazing Kara’s earlobe, “it doesn’t matter. Now, kiss me; there’s a lot of cameras.”

 

            Kara suppressed a sigh, and she pulled back, before crushing her lips down on Lena’s, feeling surprised at the touch of Lena’s tongue on her lips and drawing back slightly. Smirking slightly, Lena turned and accepted a cigarette off Veronica, taking a quick drag of it, before handing it back, and Kara’s mouth fell open and her face twisted with disgust. She slid off Lena’s lap, landing on the sofa beside her, and shot her an accusatory look.

 

            “Are you _smoking?”_

 

            Blowing a wisp of white smoke out of the corner of her mouth, Lena rolled her eyes, before taking a sip of her drink. The ice cubes in the whiskey clinked together as she drained the glass and set it down on the low table in front of them. “Relax, Kara, it’s just one puff.”

 

            “ _One puff_ ,” Kara hissed, “I don’t like this, Lena. I don’t want to be here.”

 

            Lena let out a huff of frustration, pushing Kara’s hand with the wineglass towards her, “just drink your fucking drink and try and not be so uptight for once.”

 

            “Lena, they’re snorting _lines_ on the coffee table,” Kara exclaimed, pointing to the few people knelt around the edge of it, with even white lines of powder being made. She was grateful for the loud music, because they could barely hear each other, which meant that no one else could, but Lena’s words to Veronica were lost on Kara’s ears. She lurched to her feet a moment later, holding a hand out for Kara and pulling her to her feet. Pulling Kara through the crowded room, Lena led them over to the door, and Kara saw Maggie and Hector following after them as they kept their targets in sight.

 

            “Where are we going?” Kara asked as they came out into the cool hallway outside the room, a feeling of relief washing over her as she took a deep breath of the fresh air.

 

            “Well I’m not going to make you stay somewhere you’re uncomfortable,” Lena huffed, “I’m not a complete wanker.”

 

            She didn’t look too happy though, and she stumbled slightly as she walked down the hallway, seeking the exit. Lena was familiar with Veronica’s house, having been to many parties there, and she quickly led them outside, where a car was waiting for them. They were soon bundled up in the back, and leaving the party behind them as they sat there in silence. Neither of them spoke until they were back at Lena’s estate, and Kara trailed her up to her bedroom, waiting until they were inside before she slammed the door shut.

 

            Lena turned around to face her with raised eyebrows as she crossed her arms over her chest, “what’s your problem?”

 

            “My problem?” Kara spluttered. “ _That_ wasn’t part of the bargain. That’s what my problem is. Cocaine, Lena, Really?”

 

            “Oh for fuck’s sake, Kara, I’ve never touched the stuff,” Lena sighed, stumbling as she pulled one of her heels off, quickly followed by the other. “And it’s a party, Kara, I can’t control what other people do there.”

 

            “Smoking though?” Kara snapped, “for someone who’s so concerned about skin cancer you seem to be unbothered about lung cancer. I expected better from you.”

 

            Lena let out a snort of laughter, turning around, “okay, _mom_. Besides, I only had one puff, and it’s very rare that I do anyway. Unzip me?”

 

            Making a frustrated sound, Kara stomped over to her and jerked the zipper down on the back of Lena’s dress. “It doesn’t matter if it was one puff; I don’t like it _.”_

 

            “Well I don’t like your incessant talking,” Lena snapped.

 

            “Talking doesn’t _kill_ you,” Kara exclaimed.

 

            Laughing, Lena let her dress puddle down to the floor, and Kara quickly looked away, very aware that Lena was standing in her underwear, only a few feet away from her. “Mm, keep talking, and we’ll see if it doesn’t.”

 

            “You’re insufferable!”

 

            “What’s your bloody problem? Huh? Why are you so concerned about my health? I thought you’d be happy about the chance to get rid of me sooner than expected.”

 

            Kara opened and closed her mouth, before she ground her teeth together and glared at Lena, “ _why_ would you even say that? Everyone I’ve ever cared about has _died._  I don’t have many people, Lena, so I’m sorry if I’m trying to look out for the ones that I _do_ have. And yes, I wish more than _anything_ that I didn’t have to pretend with you, but I’m not a stone cold bitch like you, and I actually care about what happens to you.”

 

            “Well, thanks for your concern, but I didn’t ask you to care,” Lena snapped, her cheeks turning pink as she flushed slightly. Falling silent, Kara stared at Lena for a moment, before turning around and walking out of the room, slamming the door shut behind her. She knew that Lena was drunk, and picking a fight with her wouldn’t help anything, but she was peeved that she cared so little for Kara’s feelings, and, not for the first time, she cursed her parents for making the deal with Lillian.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I said no updates bc I’m on holiday but I wrote this on my phone while everyone was napping lmao oops (please ignore any more errors than usual)

            Taking a deep breath, Kara ignored Hector’s wide eyed stare and pushed open Lena’s door, making her way into her suite. Forging ahead, Kara made a beeline for the bedroom door and pushed it open without pause, knowing that she would lose her nerve if she didn’t push on. The curtains were drawn, and Lena’s dark hair was in stark contrast to her white pillows, but the rest of her was hidden.

 

            Clearing her throat, Kara walked over to the bed and yanked the covers back, and Lena shut upright, pulling the covers back over herself. She was wearing the underwear she’d had on underneath her dress last night, when Kara had helped her out of it, and Kara blinked in surprise, before she remembered herself.

 

            “We need to talk,” she firmly said, standing her ground.

 

            “What the bloody hell are you doing?” Lena grumbled, pressing one hand to her forehead, “bugger off, it’s too early for this.”

 

            Kara grit her teeth and crossed her arms over her chest, “well that’s not my problem. I’m not in the mood for your shit today, Lena, I’m not in the mood at all, so you better get your ass out of bed now.”

 

            “Christ, what’s got your knickers in a twist?” Lena asked, and was met with nothing but silence and a hard stare off Kara. Grumbling and cursing, Lena climbed out of bed and Kara sighed, going to fetch a fluffy robe from her vast wardrobe, and threw it at her. They were both standing on opposite sides of Lena’s bedroom, and Kara could feel her irritation growing at the slowness of Lena’s movements. In the end, she couldn’t bite her words back any longer.

 

            “You- what you did yesterday wasn’t fair.”

 

            Lena looked up in surprise, arching an eyebrow as she ran a hand through her hair, “oh?”

 

            “You made a bet you knew I couldn’t win, and you knew I’d never fenced before, and you knew I would never have wanted to go to that party, and you still took me there.”

 

            Rolling her eyes, Lena sat down on the edge of her bed, twisting her torso slightly so she could still look at Kara. “Well I left when you asked so-“

 

            “I shouldn’t have had to ask!” Kara snapped, “you shouldn’t have let me walk in there, knowing what I have to lose! It’s fine if you’re okay with the occasional cigarette and being surrounded by people snorting drugs off coffee tables, but you said it yourself - there would be people taking our photos.”

 

            “Relax, Ka-“

 

            “No, do not tell me to relax,” Kara spluttered, feeling her anger bubble up, “you might have a lot to lose, but I have even more. I’m a queen, Lena. I have to deal with old men who don’t think I should be allowed to be a public figurehead, so can you imagine what would happen if I had my picture snapped next to some lines? Can you imagine what the press would do? I just can’t believe you would do something like this after everything that’s been happening with us.”

 

            Lena let out an exasperated sigh, “it’s not that big of a deal, Kara. Those photos - if they even exist - aren’t going to be sold to the press, because it’s Ronnie’s party and she has a strict policy. Most people have to sign NDA’s before being let into her house.”

 

            “That doesn’t make it any better!” Kara exploded, “I’m trying so hard to keep it together and it’s like you just don’t care. Everything you do is for your own selfish reasons, and I don’t care about whatever problems you have with your mom; whatever self-destructive journey you’re going on as some form of petty revenge against her - leave me out of it, because I won’t let you drag me down with you.”

 

            “Don’t you-“

 

            Kara held up a hand and cut her off, and Lena blinked in surprise. She was never assertive or authoritative, but in the moment, Kara was every inch the queen that she was. “I’m not finished. I’m at my wits end, and there’s only so much more I can take. I don’t mind your endless teasing and snide comments, because I know that you’re just poking fun at me, but I don’t like it when you put my reputation in harms way. That’s where I draw the line. I don’t want to do this, but this is your last warning, Lena, because I have to be selfish, and I have to put myself first now. If you don’t get it together and do what you’re supposed to be doing, then I’m out.”

 

            “You’re out?” Lena echoed, her eyes widening in panic and her voice coming out a little hoarse. “What about your title? The money?”

 

            Kara let out a quick laugh, “I never wanted to be queen. My life went downhill that day, and I’ve been trying to hold on ever since. I have a degree, and I have my sister and my old life. I don’t need money to be happy. You need this more than I do.”

 

            “So you’re threatening me to behave?” Lena asked, giving Kara a wry smile, “I didn’t think you had it in you.”

 

            Sighing, Kara pinched the bridge of her nose and forced down an embarrassed blush. This wasn’t her, and she hated to do it, but she did need to put herself first. “I’m sorry it has to be like this, and it’s not a threat. It’s me looking out for myself. I’m ... well, not happy to keep it going, but I’ll uphold my end of the contract, unless you mess up again. Am I understood?”

 

            Lena gave her a tight smile, and Kara felt a sinking feeling inside; this was either a good idea or Lena was about to make her life hell. “Crystal.”

 

            Nodding, Kara turned and walked out of the room, gently closing the door behind her and letting out a shaky breath. She almost thought her knees were going to give way beneath her as she quickly walked over to the door and let herself out into the hallway, looking over at Maggie and nodding. Making her way back to her own suite, Kara couldn’t help but run over everything, and she panicked slightly at the thought of Lena doing something to sabotage the whole thing, but then she just reminded herself that she was right; Lena needed this more than she did. She wouldn’t do anything to jeopardise the contract, because Lillian would no doubt cast her out of the family for it, and Kara felt worse about the fact that this truly was the only thing keeping Lena afloat. One wrong move and this whole thing would come undone.

 

            For the next hour, Kara turned over what she’d done in her head, wondering whether it was too cruel to dangle the contract over Lena’s head like that. Of course, Kara didn’t want to renounce her crown or fortune, even if she’d never wanted one and didn’t have to be dependant on the other, so it was a somewhat tenuous situation. They were both better off in the contract, but if it came down to being free and happy, Kara would have to take the opportunity, and the only way the opportunity would arise was if Lena did something so foolishly stupid that they were both at risk of losing everything anyway. Kara wouldn’t break it unless it was something that serious.

 

            Still pondering their situation, and wondering if Lucy had made any progress since the last time they’d talked, Kara was jerked out of her thoughts by a knock on the door. “Come in.”

 

            Lena poked her head inside, and jerked it slightly, “breakfast is waiting for us in the dining room.”

 

            Nodding, Kara climbed to her feet and walked over to the door. There was a maid outside, and she dipped into a curtsy, before hurrying along the hallway, and Lena quickly slipped her hand into Kara’s, knowing that a few more staff members could be lurking around. They were silent as they walked through the house hand in hand, and Kara couldn’t stop herself from sneaking glances at Lena out of the corner of her eye. It struck her again just how beautiful Lena was - possibly even more so since the last time she’d realised it - and she couldn’t help but admire the effortless beauty and aloofness of her as she pulled Kara along, her face a blank mask of indifference.

 

            A footman pulled out a chair for both of them, and they were soon digging into their breakfast, and Kara smiled slightly at the pancakes before her. Lena hated her habit for sugary food, but Kara assumed this was her small way of apologising.

 

            Lena took a sip of coffee and cleared her throat slightly as she set her cup back down. Looking up, Kara raised her eyebrows slightly in mild surprise. With a hesitant look on her face, Lena absentmindedly started running her fingers over the pattern of the wood grain on the table, picking her words carefully.

 

            “I’m sorry,” she blurted out after a moment, and Kara laughed at the fact that it had taken her that long to come up with those two words.

 

            “Do you even know what you’re sorry for?”

 

            Sighing, Lena meant back in her chair and turned her eyes up to the crown molding of the ceiling. “I’m sorry for being a bitch all the time, and I’m sorry for taking you to a party I knew you wouldn’t enjoy. I’m sorry for making you fence even though I knew you couldn’t possibly win, and I’m sorry for arguing with you last night. I’m sorry for smoking, even if it was just one puff, and I’m sorry for acting like I’m the only one in this situation.”

 

            Kara just stared at her blankly for a few moments, until Lena lowered her eyes down to Kara’s as she sat up straight in her chair. “That was the worst apology I’ve ever heard.”

 

            Lena let out a surprised laugh, giving Kara a quick smile, “well I don’t have much practice giving them. I’m usually right, or I don’t care if I was wrong. In this case though, I truly am sorry and I’ve been wrong to treat you like you’re ignorant or naïve just because your outlook on life isn’t as bloody bitter as mine. I was a rude, arrogant cow, and I’ll try my best to keep myself in check, or listen to you when you tell me I’m being a moody bitch. If I hurt your feelings, I’m sincerely very sorry, and I apologise from the very bottom of my heart.”

 

            “Okay well now you’re just being a dick about it,” Kara sighed, and Lena laughed.

 

            Shrugging, Lena gave her a small smile, “you said you didn’t mind it so much when I was pulling the piss.”

 

            Rolling her eyes, Kara cut up her pancakes and shoved a large mouthful in so she wouldn’t have to reply. The rest of breakfast went smoothly, and Lena was as polite as she’d ever been, while still keeping her sarcasm and snark at hand to keep Kara on her toes. If she was being honest, she liked their bickering, and she guessed that Lena did too, and it was a small relief for them to go back to poking fun at each other, rather than snapping.

 

\---

 

            Lena was grumbling about her hangover, while Kara absentmindedly sketched the prone figure and half payed attention to her complaining, when Jess knocked on the door and poked her head in. “Forgive me, Your Highness, but the Queen Mother has requested your presence at the palace.”

 

            Lena’s grumbling turned into curses as she muttered under her breath, and Kara felt a stab of sympathy for her because she knew that Lillian was going to be as cold as ever. She also knew that she was in for it too, if it was something to do with the contract, and she bit back a sigh as she climbed to her feet, stowing her sketchbook in her handbag.

 

            They quickly got ready and played nice for the few cameras poked through the bars of Lena’s gate, before they were whisked away in a car, and were soon approaching the palace. Lena was looking slightly green, and the painkillers she’d taken didn’t seem to be working, so Kara left her to her thoughts and stared out at the grey sky and bustling city. The busy centre gave way to parks and expensive brownstones and apartments, and soon enough the gates to the palace were sliding open and they were being helped out of the car. Entwining their fingers, the two girls let themselves be ushered up the front steps and into the dim foyer of the west wing of the palace.

 

            A butler showed them to the sitting room where Lillian was nursing a cup of tea on a sofa and Lex was staring out a window, but turned as the door opened. “Good morning,” Kara politely greeted them, while Lena scowled from behind the oversized sunglasses that hid her eyes.

 

            “What do you want, mom?” Lena brusquely asked, collapsing onto a sofa and stretching her legs out on it. Kara hesitated for a moment, before reaching down to pick up Lena’s legs and sitting down with them in her lap. She rolled her eyes at the look she knew Lena was giving her from behind the dark lenses.

 

            Lillian tutted and set her cup down, the fine china rattling as the teacup settled on the saucer, “would it honestly kill you to be polite?”

 

            “It might,” Lena replied in a biting tone, which made Lillian sniff in disapproval.

 

            “We had to stop these photos from running this morning,” Lex cut in, producing a small envelope from inside his suit jacket and handing it to Lena. She sat up slightly, leaning against the arm of the sofa, and pushed her sunglasses up her head as she peered down at the photos. With a sigh, she handed them to Kara, who took in the series of photos of Lena laughing as she danced closely with another girl - Sam, Kara realised - and another of her sitting extremely close to Gayle, who was whispering something in her ear. Of course, Kara knew that these photos didn’t mean anything, but without the context behind the photos, or any knowledge of Lena’s distance and aloofness, even with her friends, it looked like she was shamelessly flirting in public. Kara was thankful that there wasn’t any of her with the drugs, and she silently thanked whatever was out there.

 

            “You said you were going to handle things better,” Lillian said in a clipped tone, “after the whole fiasco with the leak, you said you wouldn’t do anything to jeopardise the contract, but clearly you’re not taking it as seriously as you said you would.”

 

            Lena scoffed as she sat upright, pulling her legs out of Kara’s lap, and Kara pressed her lips together in a grim line. It wasn’t what she’d been expecting, and she was grateful that she wasn’t the target of the photos if they’d been leaked, but it did directly play into what she’d been telling Lena, and she hated to say she told her so. “Oh come on, mom, you know that those photos are doctored to make it look that way. Kara and I are handling things, how many times do I need to tell you that?”

 

            “Until me, you and the rest of the world believe that you’re in love. It’s no good fooling them, you’re going to have to fool yourself too. I told you last week, you need to put more effort into it, it’s like you’re not even trying.”

 

            Kara bit back a groan, knowing that the last sentence would get spark Lena’s temper, and she put her head in her hand as she watched Lena jump to her feet. “How is my fault that _your_ bloody contract got leaked? Hm?”

 

            Sighing, Lex wandered in between Lena and Lillian, taking his hands out of his pockets to keep them both at bay, “for God’s sake, will you two stop this. It’s always the same arguments. Really, Lena, aren’t you tired of playing these childish games every time you come here?”

 

            “Me!?” Lena spluttered, her mouth falling open in shock, “I haven’t done anything wrong! She keeps blaming me for this whole thing, as if she-“

 

            “Bloody hell,” Lex muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose, “it was me! I leaked the first page of the contract!”

 

            “You?” Kara exclaimed, looking at the king in surprise. Out of everyone, she would never have guessed that Lex would have been the one to do it. Besides, Lena’s lawyer, Alana, had already fired her assistant for leaking it.

 

            “Alexander, you didn’t,” Lillian gasped, her tone half disbelief and half admonishment.

 

            He lazily shrugged, giving them all a charming smile, “well you needed some motivation to get out of the comfortable rut you were in, so I gave you a little nudge. Besides, now it’s added some validity to your relationship, because you’ve brushed it off and kept at it for the past week.”

 

            Kara barely had time to jump to her feet before Lena had smacked him square across the face, the harsh sound seeming even louder in the sudden quiet of the room. Slowly, Kara reached out and laid a hand on Lena’s shoulder, drawing her away from her brother while Lena shouted curses at him. “How dare you interfere in this, you bastard. This is none of your business and you have no right-“

 

            “I’m the king, I have every right,” Lex snapped, his cheek reddening from the slap.

 

            Kara was on a roll today, and she felt her own anger bubble up at Lex’s arrogant and self-righteous tone, and she squarely placed herself in front of Lena and stared up at him. She was grateful for her heels, because the extra inches almost put her at eye level with him. “Listen here, Your Majesty, you might think that you have the right to meddle in your sister’s life, but you don’t have the right to meddle in mine. I’m a queen in my own right, and I don’t appreciate you interfering in my personal life. Your sister and I are at an agreement that this is between the two of us, and unless we say otherwise, it’s staying that way. So mind your own business and leave us alone, please. I don’t mean to be rude, but it’s hard enough doing this without you and your mom butting and trying to tell us how we’re supposed to be in love.”

 

            Everyone blinked in surprise at Kara’s outburst, their mouths falling open slightly in surprise, and Kara felt herself flush with embarrassment. “And lastly, your daughter and sister is a wonderful person, and she’s smart and witty and can be kind when she wants to be, and she is not what you make her out to be. You should be ashamed with yourselves for putting so much pressure on her to be perfect, and blackmailing and manipulating her into doing what you want. Both of you should! Now if you don’t mind, we’ll be taking our leave now, and you can keep your noses out of our business, and if you don’t like it you can ... you can stick it up your asses! Excuse me.”

 

            Grabbing Lena by the hand, Kara dragged her from the room as quickly as she could and didn’t stop even when they were safely outside. Lena hurried along after her almost in a daze, and Kara could feel her stare and turned to meet her wide green eyes. “You just told my mother and brother to go stick their noses up their ass.”

 

            Blushing furiously red, Kara looked away and carried on marching through the palace, heading towards the exit. “Shut up.”


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i’m still on holiday lmao but whatevs, updating will still be infrequent so I’m not sure when the next one will be

            “You said it yourself, you don’t _need_ her,” Alex said, laying on the sofa in Kara’s living room as she stared up at the ceiling. “If you’re _that_ over it all, just give up. You know that mom and I would look after you; you don’t need to worry about money.”

 

            Kara sighed, shoving her sketchbooks into her bag and double checking that she had Lena’s gift. “It’s not _that_ \- I know you would - it’s ... this is all she has, Alex. I feel like it’ll be different now. She’s called me twice over the past week. _She_ called _me_. She’s _never_ done that before, and I feel like maybe she’s going to try and make it work.”

 

            “You sound like you _want_ it to work,” Alex snorted with laughter.

 

            Shrugging, Kara set her bag down on the floor and sat down on the sofa, “I mean, of course I do.”

 

            Alex bolted upright and turned to look at Kara with wide eyes. “No way.”

 

            “What?”

 

            “You’re falling in love with her.”

 

            Kara scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest as she leant back against the pillows. “Don’t be ridiculous. I’m just ... this is the rest of my life. Of _course_ I want to make it easier.”

 

            “Oh god, no, you really _are_ , aren’t you,” Alex groaned, “shit, Kara. I can’t believe I’m winning the bet.”

 

            “I’m not in love with her!” Kara protested, feeling her cheeks redden slightly.

 

            “You’re literally defending her to me! And you won’t break this off because you don’t want her to be left with nothing. You’re literally willing to give up your whole life for this, when mom and I will look after you either way. If you could get out of it, why wouldn’t you? Unless you’re falling for her.”

 

            Sighing, Kara gave her sister an exasperated look. “I’m _not_ falling for her, and I’m not going to break things off until I have a reason to. I didn’t _want_ to be in this position, but I’ve got a throne so ... I want to make my parents proud of me. They wanted this deal - maybe not like _this_ \- and they’d be proud of me for stepping up to the crown. I just- I don’t want to give that up unless it’s right for me to do it. If Lena does something to risk it, then of _course_ I’ll break the contract, but until then ...”

 

            “Okay, fine,” Alex said, giving Kara a knowing smile, “think whatever you want, but I’m winning the bet. You’ll see.”

 

            Kara opened her mouth to protest, but there was a knock on the door and it was pushed open before she could say anything. Lena poked her head inside, nodding to Alex before she looked at Kara. “Are you ready to go?”

 

            “Nice to see you too,” Kara curtly replied, climbing to her feet and picking up her handbag.

 

            “Yeah, well, the plane is ready so are you coming or not?” Lena briskly replied, cutting the niceties short.

 

            Kara rolled her eyes, walked over to Alex and dropped a kiss on her cheek before leaning in to whisper in her ear. “I definitely think you’re wrong.”

 

            Alex let out a quiet laugh, giving Kara a gentle push towards the door. “When am I ever wrong? Now go, have fun on your romantic getaway and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

 

            “More like don’t do anything Lena _would_ do,” Kara grumbled, already on edge about the anniversary week that Lena had planned for them. Usually Kara took care of the details for their outings and trips, but this time, Lena had handled all of it. Part of it was because of Alura’s upcoming birthday, which had Kara in low spirits, but it was also as an apology too, and she had assured Kara that she didn’t need to worry about a thing.

 

            Shouting goodbye to Alex over her shoulder, Kara walked out of her rooms and met Lena in the hallway. Smiling at Hector, she let Lena take her hand and start dragging her down the corridor, trying to make out the curses she was muttering under her breath. Kara let out an exasperated sigh, “I thought you were going to be on your best behaviour this week.”

 

            Lena slowed down slightly and fell silent for a few moments, before she glanced at Kara. “I’m sorry,” she curtly replied, “my mother was particularly overbearing this morning.”

 

            “Oh,” Kara muttered, “how is everything in Thorul?”

 

            “As well as ever, I suppose,” Lena grumbled, and fell silent as she stalked through the palace. Kara smiled politely at the staff curtsying and bowing, and soon enough they were heading towards the east courtyard and into the waiting car. Lena slumped against the door as soon as she was belted in, and Kara sat in silence, staring out the window as they left the palace and began the trip towards the private airstrip where her jet was being readied, as Lena had requested. She still didn’t know where they were going, and she knew better than to ask Lena, who had stubbornly refused to tell her whenever Kara had asked. Perhaps it was the knowledge that Kara was _almost_ at the end of her tether, but Lena was taking the whole thing very seriously.

 

            It wasn’t until they were safely stowed on the plane, along with their bodyguards and luggage, that Lena spoke. She was sitting across from Kara, and slightly to her left, and had a book open in her lap - another one about the Russian monarchy - and she cleared her throat loudly to be heard over the sound of the plane getting ready to take off. “I’ve been thinking lately, and I know we never really see eye to eye, so I thought that perhaps we could get to know each other a bit better on this trip. Not the trivial things - I already know those - but well, me not being a complete and utter prick. I know it’s hard for both of us, and I know I haven’t been very considerate of your feelings, but ... this is our future, and I’d like to give it a try at not being the worst thing in the whole bloody world. This is for you.”

 

            Kara accepted the envelope that Lena held out to her with a curious look on her face. She glanced up, taking in the nervous look on Lena’s face, and then turned her attention back to the envelope. Pulling out two tickets, Kara leant over them as her eyes scanned the writing printed on them. A plane ride. Lena had beat her at fencing, which meant that she didn’t have to take lessons, but she had booked them both a sightseeing flight for three days time.

 

            “Oh! But you won the bet,” Kara said, a small line forming between her eyebrows as she looked at Lena in confusion.

 

            “I know, but you were right and it wasn’t a fair bet. So, fair is fair and you kind of get your prize and I got mine,” Lena said, shrugging halfheartedly.

 

            Kara hesitated slightly, before nodding. “Thank you.”

 

            Lena nodded in return, before picking up her book and burying her nose in it. Kara pulled out her own book and got lost in the words, until she got bored and decided to sketch. She sketched Lena at first, paying attention to the way her hair spilled around her shoulders and how her slender fingers gripped her book, and then the sketches turned into aimless drawings of hands and eyes and sarcastic smiles. Over and over again she drew vague likenesses of Lena, and she knew what she was doing, but she felt compelled to draw all of her features, savouring the gentle curve of her nose or the prominent collarbone that she could see, joining with the elegant neck with the tiny freckle that Kara couldn’t help but notice.

 

            She was so absorbed in her sketching that she didn’t realise that they were about to descend until Lena moved, and come across to her side of the plane, bracing herself against the window as she took in the view. Snapping her sketchbook closed before she could see it, Kara shoved it deep into her bag, along with the pencil, and trained her eyes on Lena. She was smiling slightly, and her eyes sparkled with happiness at what she was staring out at, and Kara dragged her attention away so she could see for herself.

 

            They were descending through the clouds, and spread out beneath them was the grey roiling sea; before it gave way to sheer cliff faces and a stretch of endless green. Kara had no clue where they were, but she couldn’t deny that it was beautiful, and just the joy on Lena’s face was enough to make her think that perhaps it wouldn’t be such a bad week after all. As she stared at Lena, Kara started slightly, blinking in surprise. “We’re in Ireland, aren’t we?”

 

            Lena turned away from the window and gave Kara a hesitant smile, “it’s the one place that’s ever felt like a home to me. If you want to know more about who I am, then you need to do it here.”

 

            “This is where you’re always flying off to?” Kara slowly asked, thinking about all of the times Lena said she would be out of the country and couldn’t make it to a function or event.

 

            “Yes.”

 

            “Oh,” Kara murmured, “well, it’s beautiful.”

 

            Lena let out a small laugh, “just wait.”

 

            It was another twenty minutes before they descended onto a small airstrip, and a waiting car whisked them away. Kara had a hand pressed against the window as she stared out at the countryside that passed them by, and soon enough they were pulling up to an estate that she knew could only be Lena’s. The house was tiny though, only two stories with half a dozen windows dotting the front, even though the lavishness of the place oozed from the very bricks of the it. It was Lena’s small getaway, a private place for her to be alone.

 

            Kara was right in her judgement, because as soon as they walked inside, she was met with expensive dark wooden furniture and framed paintings, Persian rugs and gilt mirrors. It was furnish like Lena’s estate in Mercer City, just on a micro level, but it still seemed to have the warmth and comfort that Lena craved in her secret havens. Following Lena upstairs, Kara was led to a spacious bedroom, with a sitting area inside, and Lena murmured something about leaving her to get settled in, before she disappeared.

 

            Her bags were brought up shortly, and Kara was happy to see that Lena had told Lyra what kind of clothes to pack, and she helped herself to a quick shower in the ensuite bathroom, before changing into a thick jumper and a pair of casual pants. She was sitting by the fire, reading her book when there was a knock on the door. “Come in.”

 

            Lena shouldered the door open and raised the silver tray she was holding, “tea.”

 

            Kara smiled and dog eared the page she was on, setting the book down and watching as Lena set the tray down on the low coffee table. “Not to sound too pompous, but don’t you have staff for this kind of thing?”

 

            “Not here,” Lena said, giving her a faint smiled, “here I’m not anyone. I’m just ... me. No maids, no chefs, no butlers and footmen. Usually it’s just me and Hector, and a housekeeper and groundskeeper.”

 

            “Oh, so you can cook then?” Kara asked, blinking in surprise. Out of the two of them, Lena seemed to be the one to take advantage of her position more, even if it was to do things completely unsuitable for her position. “And ... make your bed?”

 

            “Don’t act so surprised,” Lena muttered, “I’m not _quite_ the perfect lazy princess my mother would like me to be.”

 

            “Not quite,” Kara quietly laughed, giving Lena a small smile as she watched her pour them both tea. “I didn’t think you cared what she thinks anyway.”

 

            Lena shrugged slightly, picking up one of the cups and handing it to Kara, who fumbled slightly when their fingers brushed, almost spilling the steaming tea all over herself. Trying to keep her composure, she murmured her thanks and held the tea in her lap, trying to fight back her nervousness. She couldn’t stop hearing Alex’s voice in the back of her mind, even though she knew that she was wrong. The thought of falling for Lena was enough to put Kara on edge. “Are you okay?” Lena asked, arching an eyebrow at her.

 

            Nervously laughing, Kara willed herself not to blush and took a sip of the scalding tea, forgetting that it was boiling hot. “I’m fine,” she gasped, fighting back a cough, “you were saying?”

 

            Lena paused for a moment, before shaking her head, “I was saying that I don’t care what dear old mom thinks. That hag complains about everything I do, no matter what I do, so there’s no point in even trying anymore. I’m not sure whether it’s my dad’s cheating that made her hate me so much, or if it’s just the fact that I’ll never measure up to the great King Alexander.” She let out a bitter laugh and took a sip of her tea, and Kara tried to keep a look of pity off her face.

 

            “I meant what I said the other day, you know,” Kara softly told her, “and I think that perhaps they already know all those things, and that might be why she puts so much pressure on you to be ... _more_. I still don’t think it’s fair though.”

 

            “Yes, well, when has anything ever been fair? And I wouldn’t say she already knew all those things when our bloody parents made this deal. I’d say it was more of selfish thing that we were going to have to suck up and handle when the time was right.”

 

            Kara grimaced and raised her cup to her lips, taking a small sip while she contemplated Lena’s words. “It’s not as bad as the beginning though, is it?”

 

            Lena hesitated slightly, her cup halfway back to its saucer, and she tilted her head to the side. “That would depend.”

 

            “On what?”

 

            “My mood,” Lena said, her lips curling up at the corners.

 

\---

 

            They spent the rest of the afternoon on the estate, with Lena giving Kara a quick tour of the house, before they pulled on some wellies and went traipsing around the vast gardens. The beautiful flowers and plants led Kara to believe that Lena was somewhat responsible for the beauty of the place, with her love of gardening, and as they shivered in their coats, making their way back from the stables, Kara couldn’t help but think about how open Lena seemed to be here. It wasn’t particularly anything she said or did, it was more to do with the fact that there was no one around, and everything about the place was geared towards Lena’s hobbies and interests, rather than the elegant lifestyle she lived in Thorul. It was still picture perfect and luxurious, but it was more like Kara was peeking inside Lena’s head, or sneaking past her defences somehow. Except she didn’t have to sneak; Lena had let her in, and that in itself was a big victory for their relationship.

 

            The next day was spent much in the same way, with them taking a trip to the beautiful cliffs they had flown towards upon arrival, and they had walked along them, with Kara snapping photos and occasionally stopping to sketch. They’d packed a picnic that morning, and they sat on a patch of grass on the verge of one of the cliffs, letting the bracing sea air numb their faces as they dug into their sandwiches and looked out at the view. Kara understood why Lena came here so often; she felt a weight lift off her shoulders at the freedom she was offered, with only Maggie and Hector lingering off as they ate their own lunch and stood guard with less vigilance than usual. Not a single other person was around for miles, and the only sound of life was the squawking of seagulls as the wheeled around the choppy, grey waves, and glided on the wind.

 

            That evening, they both stood in the kitchen, wearing matching aprons and chopping vegetables for a soup. Kara pored over the cooking book, while Lena chopped haphazardly with a frenzy that had Kara concerned for the other girls fingers. Neither of them spoke much, but doing something as menial as cooking together, and watching the confident way that Lena threw ingredients into the pot, made Kara feel somewhat closer to her. Just a few hours without them being at each other’s throats, or having to fake kisses and smiles, was enough to make them fall into easy companionship, and it was almost shocking to Kara that she actually _enjoyed_ Lena’s company. When she wasn’t being haughtily arrogant or cocky, she was actually quite funny and smart, which Kara had already gathered, but even more so without the facade of sarcasm that Lena always had ready to fend off anyone who tried to get close. She had been honest when she said that she wanted them to get to know each other better over the week, and Kara knew that Lena never lied, and here was the proof she needed to see that Lena was really trying her best to be civil and kind.

 

            The rest of the week passed by quickly, and Kara found herself enjoying her time in the Irish countryside more than she’d thought she would. It had been a front for their one year anniversary, and something to take her mind off her mom, but she genuinely did enjoy herself regardless of whether or not it was a fake reason. They read books in silence, or took walks together in silence, raced horses across the countryside to see who was a better rider. Lena taught her more of archery, and Kara shyly showed her a few sketches - the ones of the countryside, not of Lena - and they drank whiskey and huddled under blankets near the fire in the evenings. Even their sightseeing flight hadn’t been too much of a hassle, with Lena grumbling for a while at the low altitude they flew, but even she soon relaxed under the pilot’s expert control, despite still looking a little pale.

 

\---

 

            Eventually they came to their last day in Ireland - technically the date of their fake anniversary - and Kara was almost dreading going back to the pile of paperwork, and the meetings with Prime Minister Grant, and the sessions with Parliament that she wasn’t obligated to attend, but she did anyway so no one could say she was slacking off. She didn’t want to leave tomorrow.

 

            She was dressed comfortably in another sweater, feeling grateful for the cold weather so she could dress casually, and gathered up the small pile of gifts for Lena, before making her way downstairs. She knew that Lena would already be awake, and most likely already had the kettle boiled and her nose buried in a book. As Kara descended the last step and walked through to the main living room, she found that she was right and smiled slightly.

 

            “Happy anniversary,” Kara proclaimed as she walked in. Lena looked up from her book and raised her eyebrows sceptically.

 

            “It’s a fake anniversary, no need to sound so excited,” Lena replied.

 

            Kara sighed and walked over to the coffee table, depositing her pile of gifts onto it. “Well any occasion is exciting. Besides, I like giving gifts,” Kara shrugged, her eyes crinkling at the corners as she smiled, “open your card first.”

 

            Lena rolled her eyes, carefully setting her book down before she reached for the red envelope. Kara’s curly writing spelled out Lena’s name on the front, and she quickly opened the envelope and let out a snort of laughter at the gaudy hearts and roses on the front of it. Inside she read the quick inscription that Kara had written, with fake flowery words, just in case someone somehow managed to sneak a peek at the card in Lena’s home. Knowing Lena though, it would be binned instantly. Lena set the card down on the coffee table and raised an eyebrow as she looked at Kara, “thank you, I suppose.”

 

            “I had it made especially through this well known art designer, so hopefully she leaks the word about the ridiculously romantic card I had her make,” Kara said, looking proud of herself.

 

            “Smart,” Lena replied, before looking at the pile of presents waiting for her. At the bright smile on Kara’s face, she reached for one of the bags and moved the tissue paper aside to pull out some lingerie, which had Kara blushing as she shrugged apologetically. Lena laughed and shoved it back in the bag, surprised that Kara had the courage to buy it for her, and turned her attention to a precariously stacked pile of books, and she quickly skimmed the titles, smiling at the Russian words that she knew she’d enjoy. There were a few more gifts and then lastly, Lena’s eyes landed on a small velvet box. She opened it up to look at a teardrop shaped black diamond, surrounded by tiny cut diamonds and set on a white gold band, and Lena sharply looked up at Kara. “Are you bloody proposing to me?”

 

            “What? No!” Kara exclaimed, her eyes widening in panic, “of course I’m not! God, we’ve only just started getting along. No, it’s just a ring. I thought a black diamond would be nice, because I know it’s your favourite colour, so I had it made specially for you. Hopefully it _leaks_ as an engagement ring, but we can shut that down quickly. Anyway, so, um, yeah, it’s just a ring.”

 

            “It’s beautiful,” Lena said, plucking it out of the box and sliding it onto her right hand. She held it out and admired the ring, and had to admit that she really did like it, and knew it would’ve cost a fortune. “Thank you.”

 

            Kara smiled slightly and gave her a nod, “you’re welcome.”

 

            Lena quickly drained her tea and climbed to her feet, holding a hand out for Kara. “Yours is upstairs,” she said, pulling Kara to her feet, “breakfast or gifts first?”

 

            At the small rumble from Kara’s stomach, Lena rolled her eyes and towed her towards the kitchen. It was a special occasion by Kara’s reckoning, so Lena caved in and let them make pancakes for breakfast, and they made their way through their stacks of them while they planned out their day. Kara wanted to go to the cliffs once more before they left, and Lena agreed that with a picnic it would seem like an appropriate romantic gesture, and she told Kara that she already had plans for tonight, but she wouldn’t share them with her, much to Kara’s frustration.

 

            After breakfast, Lena took Kara up to her room and gestured for her to go inside, where Kara took in the easel and array of painting equipment. There were also a few new sketchbooks made with fine quality paper, an expensive fountain pen, which Lena said was for her queenly duties, a beautifully hand crafted gold and leather watch, and a few books on various topics that Kara had mentioned in passing. It looked like even when Lena was pissed off at her, she had taken in everything Kara had said and stowed it away for later use, and Kara felt a tightness in her chest at the thought, but she wasn’t sure why.

 

            “Thank you,” Kara quietly told her, “they’re perfect.”

 

            Lena nodded, watching Kara pluck the watch from the box and attempt to put it on. Feeling her frustration grow from watching Kara fumble with it for a few moments, Lena reached out and took it off her, and then reached for Kara’s hand and carefully did the watch up for her. “You’re welcome,” Lena replied, before hesitating slightly, “I hope you don’t think I was careless with the easel and paints and brushes. I know you said you haven’t liked painting since you parents- ... I just thought, you know, that maybe if you ever wanted to, you’d have everything there.”

 

            “No, I love it. Really,” Kara assured her, giving her a wobbly smile. She’d never anticipated painting again, not even after the sloppy red canvas hanging on Lena’s living room wall, but Lena had tried to put some thought into the gifts, and Kara appreciated it nonetheless.

 

            “We should get going to the cliffs,” Lena said after a few moments, “I’ll gather some food for a picnic. You get a coat; it’s a bit chilly outside.”

 

            “Right,” Kara mumbled in agreement, following Lena out of her room and turning right to head towards her own.

 

\---

 

            They spent the rest of the day on the cliffs, side by side under blankets that Lena had brought, while they shared tea from a flask and watched the waves crash against the rocks below. They didn’t speak much, and they both felt peaceful at the sound of the sea and howling wind. Lena read and Kara drew, and they exchanged a few dozen words the whole time they were there, until eventually the sun started to set and it grew too cold, even with the blankets.

 

            Back at Lena’s house, they both had warm showers and changed into more comfortable clothes, at Lena’s insistence. Wherever they were going, Kara assumed it wasn’t posh, and she was a bit sceptical at the plans that Lena had set out for them.

 

            When they were both ready, they met downstairs, and Lena led them out to the garage to the west of the estate, climbing into the drivers seat. Maggie and Hector both brought the car they’d come in around, intending to follow behind the royals, and Kara sat in the passengers seat, feeling her excitement grow. It was a shiny bottle green convertible, an old classic she assumed, and Lena shifted it into gear and drove down the long driveway and out through the open gates.

 

            The wind tore through their hair, but both of them were enjoying the feeling of the biting cold air turning their cheeks pink as they raced through the countryside, and Kara didn’t even comment on the fact that Lena seemed to be driving a bit faster than was legal. She just watched the headlights light up the green that seemed to be everywhere out there, and listened to the slightly staticky radio as it played some old music that she vaguely knew the words to. She sang along anyway, making them up when she didn’t, and she saw Lena shooting her amused and slightly wary looks out of the corner of her eyes, as if she thought Kara was half mad.

 

            It was a little under an hour later when Kara realised they were at the closest town, the one they’d visited briefly on there way to the airstrip the other day, and as Lena slowed, she realised this was their destination. Parking the car on the side of the road, Lena turned it off and climbed out. Kara slipped her hand into Lena’s once she’d rounded the car, and they were met by Maggie and Hector, who cast their eyes around for trouble. Shoving her keys deep into her pocket and running a hand through her windswept hair, Lena jerked her head towards a cozy little pub, and Kara blinked in surprise.

 

            “A _pub?”_

 

            “Trust me, you’ve never been inside a real pub before,” Lena said, giving her a crooked smile, “and it’s something everyone needs to experience.”

 

            Kara didn’t argue, and let Lena pull her into the warm building. It was loud and noisy, with a rugby game playing on a couple of TV’s and a group of rowdy men playing darts in the far corner. Kara’s eyes widened at the unintelligible sounds of dozens of people talking with their thick accents, and let Lena lead them to a small table in the back corner. It was half hidden in shadows, and away from the main area, but they did attract a few looks from the men, who nudged one another and nodded to them.

 

            A barmaid rushed over and dipped her head slightly, and Lena fell into easy conversation with her. Kara looked at her in surprise as the slight lilt in Lena’s accent became stronger as she conversed with the older Irish woman. From what Kara gathered, Lena frequented the pub whenever she came here, and knew the barmaid and one or two locals well enough to give them a rare smile.

 

            As the barmaid walked off, Lena turned to face Kara and frowned at the raised eyebrows. “What?”

 

            “Your accent.”

 

            “Oh sod off,” Lena grumbled, and Kara let out a quick laugh.

 

            “I like it,” she reassured Lena, whose grumpy face softened into a tiny smile as she looked at Kara.

 

            A few minutes later, Kara got up to order drinks for them, coming back with a pint of dark beer for herself and whiskey on the rocks for Lena. She deposited two glasses of coke on Maggie and Hector’s table nearby and gave them both quick smiles, before rejoining her date for the evening. Lena took one look at Kara’s drink and groaned. “Is that _Guinness?”_

 

            “Mhm,” Kara smiled at her, “when in Ireland, you know?” Lena watched her with an amused look on her face, and Kara gave her a confused look as she raised the pint and took a big gulp.

 

            “You daft bugger,” Lena laughed, shaking her head as she watched Kara cough and splutter, forcing the Guinness down even though the disgust on her face let Lena know that she hated it. “Maybe you should stick to the weaker drinks, _love.”_

 

            Kara cleared her throat slightly as she picked up the glass again. “I don’t know what you mean. It’s nice.”

 

            Lena groaned as she watched Kara force down another mouthful, “why are you such a stubborn cow all the time?”

 

            “Well I can’t let you win _every_ time now, can I?” Kara said, giving her a grin, before a look of disgust flashed across her face at the aftertaste of the beer. “Oh god, this really _is_ awful though. Can we switch?”

 

            “Get lost,” Lena laughed, moving her whiskey out of the way of Kara’s reaching hand. “Maybe order yourself some lemonade or maybe orange juice. Something more suited for the little ones.”

 

            Kara gave her an exasperated look, “you know I’m older than you, right?”

 

            “Barely,” Lena sighed, smiling around the rim of her glass as she took a sip. At the pleading look on Kara’s face, she gave her a pitting look and held out the whiskey, and Kara took a grateful drink of it, washing away the Guinness with something that, admittedly, wasn’t that much better, but still not as bad.

 

            “As your reward, you may have a kiss,” Kara quietly proclaimed, leaning in close to whisper in Lena’s ear, “because I’m sure all of your friends are _very_ interested in the fact that you’ve brought your girlfriend here after so long. What do you think the odds on some sneaky photos are?”

 

            “Oh you can guarantee it,” Lena quietly laughed, “they’ll be hoping for some big money off these.”

 

            Laughing, Kara brushed Lena’s hair out of her face, “and how charitable are you?”

 

            “I’d personally like to say a lot,” Lena shrugged, and then Kara leant down and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. In the quiet, dark corner of the pub, they gave off quite the display, pretending that they couldn’t see the camera flashes behind their closed eyes.

 

            When they pulled back, Lena gave Kara a smirk, “I’ve had better. You taste like Guinness.” Rolling her eyes, Kara grimaced at her and stole her whiskey, draining the rest of it and planting a kiss on Lena’s cheek when she tried to protest.

 

            “What’s yours is mine, _darling_ ,” Kara whispered in her ear as she smiled.


	21. Chapter 21

            “Do you want me to call for some tea?”

 

            “No.”

 

            “How about we go home and see mom?”

 

            “No.”

 

            “Is there anything I can get you?”

 

            “I just want to be alone, Alex,” Kara murmured, and her sister sighed softly, leaning over to kiss her on the top of her head and climbing to her feet.

 

            Kara didn’t look up as Alex climbed off the bed. “I’ll be in my room. Call me if you need anything, okay?”

 

            Nodding, Kara picked at a loose thread on the quilt cover. She listened to Alex’s quiet footsteps receding, followed by a click as the door snapped shut and she was left alone. Willing herself not to cry, Kara let out a shuddering breath, shivering slightly in the cold bedroom, but not having the strength to turn on the heating. Ordinarily Lyra would be around to do it for her, but Kara had made her leave, and she’d snapped at Alex when she’d tried fussing around her. Even her breakfast had been left untouched, the omelette stiffening slightly as it lay on the plate, and the pot of tea turning cold. She didn’t think she could muster the motivation to even raise a fork right now. Instead, Kara sat under the covers, wearing last night’s pyjamas and letting out the occasional sob as she wallowed in her misery. If she had it her way - and she was the queen, so why not? - she would stay in bed all day, and everyone else could leave her alone.

 

            Where Lena was concerned, Kara never seemed to get her own way though, and not even half an hour later, there was a tap on her bedroom door. There must’ve been one on the door to her quarters too, but she hadn’t heard it, and she made no move to acknowledge this one either. It didn’t matter though, because the door was pushed open anyway, and Kara just ignored them, assuming it was Alex again, or maybe Astra or Eliza.

 

            “Kara?”

 

            Her head shot up at the sound of Lena’s voice, and Kara scowled at her as she angry scrubbed at her tear stained face. “What’re you doing here?”

 

            “It-it’s your mom’s birthday right? You did say it was today,” Lena said, looking slightly puzzled.

 

            “Yes, so what are you doing here?” Kara stiffly asked.

 

            Lena let herself all the way inside, revealing the bouquet of flowers she held in her hands. Her cheeks were flushed pink and she was bundled up in a warm coat, but she shivered slightly at the coldness of Kara’s room; winter was on its way but the weather seemed to have cooled a lot faster than it usually did. Looking around, Lena shrugged and walked into the bathroom, and Kara listened to the sound of running water, watching as Lena reappeared without the flowers, and assumed that she’d left them in the sink.

 

            Clearing her throat, Lena stood at the end of the bed, and Kara turned to look at her. “I came to see if you were okay.”

 

            Letting out a cold laugh, Kara averted her eyes and smiled, “ _okay_? You think I would be okay? It’s been thirteen years, but it could be three for all it matters. No, I’m not okay.”

 

            “Is there anything I can do?”

 

            “You can leave,” Kara curtly replied, and Lena shuffled slightly, wrapping her arms tightly around herself.

 

            After a moment of silence, she let out a weary sigh. “I’m not going to bugger off and leave you. I’m your bloody girlfriend, so I’m supposed to be here. Besides, I don’t think you should be alone.”

 

            That got a rise out of Kara, and for the first time all day, she climbed out of bed and stormed over to Lena. “You’re _not_ my girlfriend - you’re not _anything_ \- and I don’t need you to tell me what I need right now. I don’t need you sticking your nose in where it doesn’t belong, and I _don’t_ need your help. You can’t even help - you don’t know how. All you know is drinking and- and doing stupid, childish things that get you in trouble. You don’t even think about _anyone_ except yourself; you’re selfish and arrogant and you’re a narcissistic ass,” Kara snapped, her temper flaring up, even though it wasn’t Lena she was angry at.

 

            At each insult and harsh word hurled at her, Lena seemed to stiffen more, and her face was all sharp angles and haughtiness as she stared at Kara. Her green eyes were hard beneath her low brows, but her lips were quirked up into a smirk, and a faint laugh was on her lips as she spoke. “Well, that was unnecessarily rude; I didn’t think you had it in you. If you’re trying to hurt me though, you’ll need worse insults than that, and another twenty-four years of it to be a match for my bloody mom. So if you’re quite finished, is there anything I can do for you?”

 

            If anything, the amusement on Lena’s cold face made Kara even more irritated, and she let out a frustrated yell. “I don’t _want_ you here? Don’t you get it? I-I don’t need you - I don’t need _anyone_ \- why can’t you just leave me alone? I just- I just want to be _alone_. Everyone leaves anyway so j-just go!” She was breathing rapidly by the end of her tirade, almost on the verge of tears, and she could feel a lump form in her throat.

 

            “Well I’m not leaving,” Lena stubbornly replied, “I’m actually contractually obligated to stay, so ...”

 

            Kara gave her a gentle push towards the door, but Lena just huffed and refused to move, and then Kara grabbed her by the front of her coat, and paused. They were eye to eye - Lena’s heels giving her the extra few inches she needed - and there was pity in Lena’s eyes, which just made it even worse for Kara. Her bottom lip trembled and her eyes filled with tears, and then she let out a broken sob, her shoulders shaking as she started crying. Lena’s eyes widened in shock, and she stood there open mouthed as she panicked. Hesitantly, she reached out and laid a hand on Kara’s arm, but Kara batted it aside and turned around, walking back over to her bed and crawling underneath the covers.

 

            She pulled the sheets up over her head, hiding from Lena, even though she could still hear Kara crying, and tried to ignore the sounds of Lena moving around the room. After muttered curses and a few select swear words, a gust of warm air blew out of the vent and chased away the cold, and a few moments later, the mattress sank as Lena sat on the bed. It was big enough that there was enough space for Kara to huddle in the middle, with all the blankets, and Lena stretch out beside her, while still keeping a gap between them.

 

            After a few moments of silence, Lena sighed and climbed back out of bed. This time she left the bedroom, and it was a few minutes before she came back and started rummaging around in Kara’s closet. Then she sat back down on the bed and tugged at the blankets. “Not to be a _completely_ insensitive bitch, but you’ve stolen all the blankets and it’s bloody freezing in here,” Lena grumbled, and Kara choked out a laugh, slowly rolling off the edge of the blanket and letting Lena tug it over herself.

 

            Something about the fact that Lena wasn’t going to treat her special because it was a bad day for her almost made Kara feel a bit better. Slowly, she slowed her breathing and stifled her sobs, and she wriggled out from under the blankets, brushing her hair out of her face as she settled back against the pillows. “I’m sorry,” she murmured, her voice cracking as she fiddled with her hands on top of the blankets.

 

            “Yeah, well, don’t worry, I didn’t take it to heart,” Lena said, laughing slightly, “I figured that you don’t mean it, and even if you do, I’m just going to act like you don’t so I don’t get pissed at you when you’re already upset. I don’t want to be that twat.”

 

            Kara laughed weakly, wiping a hand over her teary eyes, and sniffed. A few tissues were shoved into her hands and Kara met Lena’s eyes, giving her the barest hint of a smile as she took in the soft look on her face. Then she blinked in surprise, “are you wearing my pyjamas?”

 

            “Do you think I _really_ own a pair of bloody pink flannelette pyjamas with ... god, what are they? Bloody unicorns? Fuck me. Well, you don’t sound like you want to go out, so I thought I’d help myself.”

 

            Laughing again, Kara wiped her face and blew her nose, and a few moments later there was a knock on the door. Lena leapt out of bed and answered it, blocking Kara from view as she thanked whoever was on the other side, and kicked the door shut as she held a massive silver tray in her hands. Her hands shook slightly under the weight of the tray heaped with tea and snacks, and she quickly set it down on the bedside table beside her. Climbing back into bed, Lena stretched across Kara, reaching for the laptop on the other bedside table, before getting comfortable.

 

            Turning it on, she looked at Kara, who was still looking puffy eyed and bloodshot. “What’s your favourite movie?”

 

            “The Princess Diaries,” Kara blurted out, and Lena let out a loud laugh, shaking her head.

 

            “Somehow, I’m not surprised at all,” she sighed, setting the laptop down on Kara’s lap and turning towards the tray. Awkwardly, she poured them both some tea, and handed one cup to Kara, before pausing. “I asked for a third cup, in case you wanted Alex to join us.”

 

            “I sent her away,” Kara croaked.

 

            Letting out a snort of laughter, Lena rolled her eyes, “well then invite her back, you pleb. You tried sending me away, but I’m literally in your bloody bed. Your sister is just too soft on you, and luckily for you, I’m not going to let you wallow in misery by yourself, no matter how much you snap at me.”

 

            Sighing, Kara ran a hand through her hair and reached for her phone. She sent a quick text to Alex, and a few minutes later, her sister poked her head in, giving her a soft smile. Lena was busy typing away on Kara’s laptop, and glanced up to give Alex a brief nod, before turning her attention back to the screen.

 

            “Sorry,” Kara said, grimacing slightly, and Alex pushed the door open a little wider and slipped inside. She walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge, taking Kara’s hand in her own.

 

            “You don’t need to apologise,” Alex quietly told her, “whatever you want, I’m here to help.”

 

            “I know,” Kara murmured, taking a sip of the tea in her hand. “We’re watching a movie if you’d like to join.”

 

            Alex quietly laughed, giving Kara’s hand a squeeze. “How about I sit in the living room, and you call me if you need anything?”

 

            Kara gave her a grateful smile, and wrinkled her nose slightly. “Okay, but only if you invite Maggie inside and get her to relax for five minutes,” Kara said, and Alex gave her a shy smile as she nodded.

 

            “Here, Alex,” Lena said, handing over a small plate she’d piled high with all manner of sugary snacks, as well as a cup of tea.

 

            “Thank you,” Alex said, taking them and giving Lena a small nod, which Kara suspected was more to do with the fact that Lena had got her to be somewhat sociable today. Kara gave her a sister a tired smile as she watched her leave, leaving the door open a crack and letting a beam of light shine into the dark room, her voice floating towards them as she assured Kara that she was just outside the door.

 

            A few minutes later, Maggie’s quiet voice reached Kara’s ears, and she smiled slightly, before turning her attention to the laptop, and then to Lena when she realised she was staring at her. “What?”

 

            “You’re smiling.”

 

            “Alex has a thing for Maggie,” Kara murmured, leaning towards Lena.

 

            “You’re having a laugh,” Lena said, her eyebrows shooting up, “your sister, a Duchess’ daughter, and heir to a title and an estate, is banging the Queen’s bodyguard?”

 

            Kara blanched slightly, looking startled at the prospect, “I mean, no, it’s more like they’re both too stubborn to admit their feelings, so they keep making ridiculous bets and dancing around each other to avoid it.”

 

            Lena gave Kara a wary look for a moment, before she turned to the laptop screen, “you sound like you approve.”

 

            “Should I not?”

 

            “Depends on how classist you are,” Lena shrugged, “I’m not surprised you approve though. Of course you’d believe in true love and all of that bollocks.”

 

            Kara laughed, accepting a plate full of little cakes and biscuits off Lena, and she murmured her thanks, before continuing, “I mean, I think that there’s love out there for everyone, you know?”

 

            “Even yourself?”

 

            Hesitating, Kara focused on the computer screen and took a sip of the hot tea to buy herself some time. Eventually, she sighed, picking up a biscuit and inspecting it so she didn’t have to look at Lena. “I did ... but now I don’t think so. I’m not going to get the chance. Why, do you still think you’re going to have the chance?”

 

            Lena shrugged, taking a sip of her own tea and pressing play on the movie. As sound blared out of be speakers, and turned her head towards Kara, even though her eyes never strayed from the screen. “I don’t think I was _ever_ going to have the chance.”

 

            “Oh,” Kara murmured, and they both fell into silence. They didn’t say much throughout the movie, except a few comments off Kara, and they slowly made their way through the selection of food that had been on the tray, until all that was left were crumbs. As the credits rolled around, Lena pressed the pause button and turned to Kara.

 

            “I like it,” she plainly stated, and Kara let out a surprised laugh, “is there more?”

 

            “There’s a second one,” Kara told her, and Lena quickly set about looking for it and soon enough they were watching that one too.

 

\---

 

            They finished the second movie and laid in bed until Kara’s stomach started rumbling. Eating desserts and sugary things had done nothing to stave off hunger, and it was well past lunchtime. She gave Lena a sheepish look when she caught the raised eyebrows Lena was giving her.

 

            “Would you like me to order anything from the kitchens?”

 

            Kara hesitated slightly, “can we go somewhere?”

 

            “Anywhere you want,” Lena quickly assured her, before giving her a quick smirk, “as long as I agree.”

 

            Rolling her eyes, Kara shrugged. “I don’t know, I just ... I need some fresh air. I need to get away from here; somewhere I’ve never been before. Just for a little while.”

 

            “Get dressed,” Lena told her, climbing out of bed and going to fetch her own clothes.

 

            Soon enough, they were walking downstairs, dressed warmly, with Alex tagging along with the two guards. The front doors were pulled open for them and Kara ducked her head as she was met with shouts and camera flashes, feeling a lump from in her throat at the fact that she wasn’t even allowed privacy on a day like today.

 

            Lena quickly put her arm around Kara’s shoulder, closer than was normal, and she stood slightly behind her too. Looking up in confusion, Kara saw Lena’s hand covering her face for her as she flipped off the paparazzi. She stuck her middle finger up at them with her other hand too, covering her own face with it, and Kara gave her a concerned look.

 

            “What’re you doing?”

 

            Lena let out a quiet laugh, leaning in close, “a little tip for you, they can’t publish the photos with you flipping them off, unless they blur it, and what’s the point in posting photos with our faces blurred out?”

 

            Kara let out a delighted laugh, smiling up at Lena despite herself, and found herself grateful for Lena’s no nonsense attitude and the almost lofty way she behaved. It wasn’t that she thought she was better than everyone, but she definitely didn’t give a shit about what other people thought. “Thank you,” Kara said, and Lena gave her a wonky smile, flashing her dimples.

 

            They walked down the steps quickly, and Kara was all but shoved inside, and sank low in her seat as she buckled herself in. Her eyes were still bloodshot, and her face was drawn and tired, and the last thing she wanted was her photo being snapped today.

 

            Lena and Alex climbed in after her, and Maggie and Hector climbed into the driver and passenger seat, and they quickly drove out of the palace. Kara frowned slightly at the buzzing of her phone, expecting it to be another text off Lucy, James or Winn, sending their love to her, but she saw Alex’s name and glanced up at her sister, who looked like she was biting the inside of her cheek to stop herself from smiling.

 

            _‘I think Maggie and I are drawing’_

 

            Choking on a sound of surprise, Kara turned it into a cough, and fought back a blush when Lena turned to look at her. Slinking further down in her seat, she shoved her phone in her pocket and shot Alex a dirty look, frowning as she watched her sister smile. She wasn’t falling in love with Lena, and Lena wasn’t falling in love with her either.

 

\---

 

           They were in a small restaurant that Lena had found when she’d first come to Argo City, and a place that Kara had never been to before, and they were sat three stories above the ground, giving them a good view of the city. The sky was grey with clouds that threatened to release a torrent of rain, and the tall skyscrapers were behind them, giving them a view of a beautiful park, full of trees in various stages of losing their red and orange leaves.

 

            Kara, Lena and Alex were in the corner beside the fire, nursing cups of hot chocolate, while the remnants of their food lay on the table as they finished up eating. The food had been good, and the hot chocolate even better, and as Kara sat in the armchair, she felt a tiny bit better than she had all day. Alex and Lena were deep in conversation about some political scandal that Kara was tuning out - she’d had enough of politics for the time being - leaving her to be alone with her thoughts. She wasn’t oblivious to the quick glances the two girls sent their way though, but she chose to ignore them, and watched the pigeons peck at the cracked pavement below, hoping for some food.

 

            They left not long after, returning to the palace and hovering in one of the sitting rooms for a while to share a quick drink. Kara was losing motivation to keep it together, and she wanted to go to bed. It didn’t occur to her that it had been a mistake to come to the sitting room until she was already in it, and she tuned out the sound of Alex, Maggie and Hector talking, and focused on the painting hanging on the wall. Dark hair, pale skin and blue eyes stared back at her, and Kara was struck again by how much it hurt to have her aunt - one she loved dearly - be around as a constant reminder. In some ways, she was grateful that Astra and Eliza always let her have this day to herself, because she knew that they knew how hard it was, having lost Alura as well - especially Astra, for having to celebrate her birthday and mourn her sister on the same day.

 

            “How old would she be?” Lena murmured, startling Kara slightly.

 

            She blinked back tears and took a sip of her drink, feeling the alcohol burn her throat on its way down. “Fifty.”

 

            “Oh,” Lena murmured, “she was young when she had you.”

 

            “Mhm, married and a kid at twenty-four. I guess that’s why they thought it was okay for us.”

 

            “I’m sorry,” Lena gently told her, adding a splash of her drink into Kara’s nearly empty glass, and tipping it up for her to keep drinking. Kara nodded and they stood there in silence, shoulder to shoulder, and stared up at the painting. “She was beautiful. You look like her.”

 

            Letting out a quiet laugh, Kara turned to look at Lena, “are you saying I’m beautiful?”

 

            Shrugging, Lena busied herself with draining her glass so she wouldn’t have to reply, and Kara gave the painting one last glance before she turned her back on her mom. “Maybe a little,” Lena quietly replied, and Kara let out another laugh.

 

            Willing herself not to blush, Kara looked over her shoulder at her and gave her a small smile, “thank you for the flowers, and thank you for being here for me.”


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> your girl is back from her holiday but has a lot of uni work to catch up on so updates might still be all over the place, but I'll try my best

           “Hello? Jess?”

 

           _“Hi,_ _can_ _I_ _help_ _you?”_

 

           “I, uh, I got your number off Hector, I hope that’s okay. It’s Kara ... the, uh, the queen one. I don’t know if you know any other ones,” Kara awkwardly said, and was met with stunned silence for a few moments.

 

           _“Oh!_ _Your_ _Majesty_ ,” Jess breathlessly exclaimed, “ _forgive_ _me_ , _I_ _don’t_ _have_ _your_ _number_. _I_ _had_ _no_ _idea_.”

 

           “No worries,” Kara assured her, “I just ... I need your help for Lena’s birthday.”

 

\---

 

           They planned for weeks before the day came, and Kara was determined to make it perfect. Jess said that Lena hadn’t celebrated her birthday properly in years - not since Jess had started working for her - and Kara was unsure whether or not Lena would appreciate what she had planned. Either way, it would be great publicity, and that’s what they were here for, and Kara could always use that as a scapegoat if Lena hated it.

 

           It was early in the morning on the fifth of November, and Kara excitedly got ready and was on her plane to Thorul before the sun had even risen. The rim of the sun was just peeking over the horizon when she touched down at the airport in Mercer City, and the sky was starting to lighten as she made her was through the city. The windscreen was flecked with rain, and Kara silently prayed that it wouldn’t get any heavier as she peered out at the clouds that blanketed the steadily lightening sky. She didn’t want bad weather to spoil her fun today - but they would be spending most of it in Argo City anyway - if Lena didn’t put up a fight - so there was a good chance it would hold off.

 

           The butler of Lena’s estate let her into the massive house with a slight bow, and she beamed at him as she carried the huge bouquet of flowers in with her, accompanied by Maggie, who was looking extremely alert after two cups of coffee, and was carrying some of Lena’s other gifts. Instead of heading up to wake up Lena, Kara asked to be escorted to the kitchens, where she made Lena breakfast, instead of the chef. The end result was a full Irish breakfast - Kara had pulled the recipe off the Internet - some orange juice, and a pot of tea. Picking it up, and awkwardly carrying the flowers under one arm, Kara carried the food upstairs, as quickly as possible to make sure that it didn’t get cold.

 

           Hector had already taken up day duty, and he bowed slightly at Kara, looking slightly startled at the procession of staff with gifts that loitered behind her as the bedroom door was quietly opened. Tiptoeing inside, Kara set the tray down on the table, wincing slightly as the fine china rattled, and watched as the staff started carefully setting down the gifts. Jess appeared at Kara’s side in the dimly lit living quarters and gave her a smile as she held out a packet of party poppers. Kara took one, and soon the rest of the staff were all holding one, and Kara put a finger to her lips as she silently padded over to Lena’s bedroom door.

 

           Carefully opening it, she stepped inside, followed by everyone else, and at Kara’s signal, they all pulled the party poppers. “Happy birthday!” Kara called out, as Lena shot upright, startled by the loud popping noises.

 

           Her hair was a mess and she blearily peered at Kara’s silhouette in the dark room, letting out a groan when she realised it was Kara. “Bollocks,” Lena muttered, and Kara laughed, while Jess fetched Lena her dressing gown and slippers, murmuring her own birthday wishes.

 

           The rest of the staff still lingered in the doorway, so Kara walked over to Lena, who was yawning as she shoved her arms into the robe, and gave her a quick kiss, before leaning in to whisper in her ear. “Play nice.”

 

           Lacing their fingers together, Kara excitedly dragged Lena out of her bedroom, and the rest of the staff bowed and curtsied, before leaving the two girls alone. The lights had been turned on, and Kara led Lena over to the table, pulling it a chair for her and helping her in. Pulling the tray closer, she lifted the metal cover and gestured to it, “I cooked it myself, enjoy.”

 

           Lena raised her eyebrows at her, and Kara gave her a warm smile. “Really?” Lena sceptically asked, and Kara sighed.

 

           “Yes, really,” she said, but Lena’s attention was distracted by a snuffling sound and a low whine. Kara gave her a sheepish smile, “ah, well that’s one of your gifts.”

 

           “What the bloody hell have you been buying?” Lena softly exclaimed taking in the pile of gifts.

 

           Kara carelessly shrugged, “it’s not every year you turn twenty-five, so I got you a gift for each year. Starting with this one I suppose.” She lifted a large box and carried it over to the table, and Lena set her fork down, slowly chewing her mouthful as she watched Kara set the box down before her. Pushing her chair out and climbing to her feet, Lena slowly reached out and opened the box, letting out a delighted laugh as she looked at the puppy blinking up at her. As it started whining, she reached down and picked it up, cradling the dog in her arms as if excitedly tried to lick her face. “It’s a, uh, an Irish wolfhound,” Kara hesitantly told her, a wary look on her face as she watched Lena hold the puppy. “You seemed so ... relaxed there, so I thought, you know, it might be like a little piece of home. Do you like her?”

 

           “I love her,” Lena smiled at her, “thank you.”

 

           Kara gave her a relieved smile and took the dog off her, gesturing for Lena to carry on eating her breakfast while she took a seat and fussed over the puppy, waiting for her to finish. “So, there’s one stop we need to make here for a gift, and then the rest of the day will be in Krypton, if that’s okay with you,” Kara said as Lena scraped her plate clean.

 

           Narrowing her eyes, Lena gave Kara a suspicious look, “what do you have planned, you sneaky cow?”

 

           Giving her a secret grin, Kara winked, “well you’ll just have to wait and see. Come on, gift time.”

 

           Kara excitedly sat on the sofa, watching as Lena unwrapped the other twenty-one presents - there were two more for later - ranging from a first edition of War and Peace, to an expensive leather jacket and a new bow for her archery, to a beautiful diamond necklace that Lena looked at with wide eyes. “Kara, I can’t accept this, it’s probably worth millions,” Lena protested as she stared down at it.

 

           Kara shrugged casually, “it’s priceless to me, but I’d like you to wear it later, so you have to accept it.” Lena gave her another suspicious look, but nodded and thanked her, before Kara sent her to shower and told her to dress casually.

 

           She emerged almost an hour later, her hair and makeup done, wearing one of the olive green sweaters Kara had bought her a few months ago, and a pair of black jeans and heeled boots. She pulled on her new leather jacket and raised her eyebrows at Kara, who was staring. Shaking herself out of her trance, Kara cleared her throat, “um, I was going to post this photo of us on Instagram, if you approve.”

 

           Lena walked over and leant over, her perfume washing over Kara as she did so, and she peered down at the photo in question. It had been taken by Alex a few weeks ago when they had gone to a charity event; Kara had her eyes screwed shut behind her glasses, her mouth open in a laugh, with one arm slung around Lena’s shoulders, while Lena smiled brightly up at her. To anyone else, it looked like they were in love.

 

           “Sure,” Lena agreed, “it’s nice, I guess.” Kara gave her a smile and started typing a comment out, keeping one eye on Lena, who was knelt on the Persian rug as she played with her new puppy.

 

           Fifteen minutes later, they were in Lena’s car, with Maggie and Hector in the back seats, because Kara thought it was an appropriate day to let Lena drive them, and she gave her directions to their destination. As they neared it, Lena frowned and turned to look at Kara, “where are we going?” she suspiciously asked.

 

           “Well I think you’ve figured it out,” Kara laughed, telling her to turn left up ahead, “you come here all the time.”

 

           “Why are we coming to my bird sanctuary?” Lena asked, “you don’t like birds.”

 

           “You once lost a bet where you were hoping to bring me here, and get a new bird out of it, I believe,” Kara said, giving her a hesitant smile, “surprise, you get to make my life a living hell for a little while.” Lena let out a quiet laugh, signaling and turning left. She drove the rest of the way without Kara’s guidance, and they were soon pulling up to a low building surrounded by green fields and copses of trees. Parking outside, the four of them climbed out, and Kara gestured for Lena to walk ahead of her, despite protocol, nipping forward to get the door for her though when they neared the entrance.

 

           Lena was familiar with the employees at her sanctuary, and she walked through the place confidently, knowing the ins and outs of the place intimately. Kara wondered how much time and money she had invested in the place, coming to train her eagles and falcons to escape her mother and brother. As they walked through the enclosures of birds, Lena pointed out the new owl they’d rescued and were rehabilitating for release, and the pigeons they trained for races, pointing out some of her favourite birds as they went. She showed Kara her prized falcon, letting it perch on her arm, which was encased in a thick glove, and even managed to coerce Kara into holding her, which she did only because it was Lena’s birthday, and for no other reason. Before they were leaving, Kara had the manager she’d spoken to on the phone bring out Lena’s new bird – a red tailed hawk, like the one Kara hadn’t gotten her when Lena had lost the bet - and Lena gave her a quick kiss for appearances sake, her eyes lit up with happiness as she inspected the new addition to her birds.

 

           Afterwards, they went back to Lena’s, where Jess had quickly packed a bag and got everything ready for Lena to leave. With her new puppy in her arms, Lena declared that she was ready to leave, and Kara smiled excitedly, waiting for the next surprise. She hoped Lena would like it.

 

           The plane ride was quick, and Kara watched Lena play with the puppy from across the aisle, while she sneakily sketched what she saw. She was smiling at the drawing - at the smile on Lena’s face - when Lena called out to her. “What’re you drawing?”

 

           Jumping slightly, Kara blushed and snapped the sketchbook closed. “The dog.”

 

           “Can I see?”

 

           Fumbling for an excuse, Kara bit back a curse when she couldn’t find a reason not to show Lena a sketch of her dog. With a small sigh, she quickly flipped through the pages, coming to her most recent one and bending the sketchbook in half, cracking the spine in her efforts to not let Lena see the other sketches of her. Leaning closer, she peered at the notebook and Kara nervously watched the expression on her face. “Oh, you drew me as well.”

 

           “You’re holding her, so,” Kara shrugged, and Lena gave her a small smile.

 

           “It’s good.”

 

           Nodding, Kara shut the sketchbook and shoved it in her bag before Lena could ask to see any of the other ones. Scrambling for a new topic, Kara looked at the puppy wagging her tail in Lena’s lap and smiled slightly, “have you thought of a name for her?”

 

           Lena paused with a thoughtful look on her face, shrugging slightly, “I was thinking maybe Aoife. It’s the name of an Irish heroine, so …”

 

           “It’s perfect!” Kara enthusiastically agreed, whistling quietly and smiling as the dog leapt off Lena’s lap and bounded over to Kara. It was big for an Irish wolfhound, and Kara eyed Lena, biting back a smile when she thought about how big the dog would grow; she would be bigger than Lena. Kara made a mental note to buy her an actual horse next time, because she may as well have bought her one instead.

 

\---

 

           Aoife was left at the palace with Alex, who wished Lena a happy birthday and gave her a gift, before ushering the two girls out of the palace so that Kara could carry on with her gifts, and Lena would remain occupied. This time, it was more of a gift for Kara, but she hoped that Lena would like it too, and as they approached their destination she found it hard to sit still, and squirmed excitedly in her seat.

 

           “Can you just tell me where we’re going?” Lena impatiently asked, grimacing as she looked at Kara fidget.

 

           “No.”

 

           “Come on, Kara,” Lena wheedled, trying to convince her to tell her, but Kara gave her a stern look, and she soon fell silent. It was another forty minutes before they reached their destination, not far from Eliza’s estate, and Kara was smiling widely in anticipation of their arrival. Maggie knew where they were going, and she pulled up in a car park, turning off the ignition and getting out of the car. Hector opened the door for Lena, and Kara climbed out after her, looking expectantly at Lena, who was frowning slightly.

 

           “Are we at a _racing track?”_ she asked, sounding confused as she rounded on Kara, running a hand through her hair as the wind tossed it around her face. There were various car logos and flags decorating building, and the chainlink fence gave them a look into the winding circuit inside, with neatly trimmed green grass and perfect tarmac for driving on.

 

           Kara gave her a hesitant smile, “we are, yes.”

 

           “Why?”

 

           “Come on,” Kara sighed, looping her arm through Lena’s and dragging her towards the front doors of the building. Lena didn’t say another word as Kara hauled her along, ushering her into the warm inside of the building, before following her inside. They were met by one of the staff members there, a woman with a snug baseball cap drawn down low over her face, and a puffy coat on, despite the warmth inside. After a few moments of polite talk, she led them down one of the hallways, and Kara smiled brightly at the sight of the jumpsuits hanging up in the locker room. Maggie came inside with them, and they were left alone to change, with Lena looking at Kara with raised eyebrows.

 

           Kara gave her an expectant look, waiting for Lena’s comments, “well?”

 

           “We’re here to race?” Lena asked, frowning slightly.

 

           “I, uh, well, when my parents died in a car accident, it kind of … I was scared of cars for a while. My adoptive father, Jeremiah, he used to bring me here, before he died. Alex’s family’s estate is nearby, so he brought me here every Sunday, after church, and he helped me get over my fear. I guess it worked pretty quickly, because I enjoyed it so much that I was back in cars soon enough.”

 

           “I thought you didn’t like driving fast,” Lena said.

 

           Letting out a quiet laugh, Kara gave her a lopsided smile, “I don’t like _speeding_ – there’s a difference. One is legal, the other isn’t. Anyway, I thought that you might like to give it a try, because you’re always after a way to annoy your mom and get a rush out of it, and driving really fast in a racecar is a good adrenaline rush. I got you a custom made car and gear, so that when you’re here, you can drive it.”

 

           Lena tilted her head to the side, before rounding on the black suit hanging up. It had green accents on it, and the royal insignia of Thorul, with boots, gloves, and a dark green helmet too. Turning back to face Kara, Lena gave her a small smile, “well, I’d hate to pass up a rush.”

 

           Smiling brightly, Kara began unbuttoning her coat, and the rest of her clothes soon followed, with Lena turning her back on her and doing the same. Kara’s suit was blue and red, with the Kryptonian coat of arms over her left breast, and she zipped it up and fetched her red boots, slipping them on, along with the gloves. Once she was done, she picked up her red helmet and held it under her arm while she waited for Lena to finish dressing. When they were both ready, they made their way outside, and Lena’s eyebrows rose at the sight of two racecars in the same colours as their jumpsuits, and Kara excitedly led her over to the black and green one. She watched as Lena jammed her helmet onto her head and climbed into the car, and Kara helped strap her in, and then the woman double checked everything, before stepping back after giving Kara a quick nod.

 

           “Hey,” Lena shouted, her voice coming out slightly muffled by her helmet.

 

           “Yeah?”

 

           “How about a bet?”

 

           Kara laughed, shaking her head slightly as she smiled. “What do you have in mind?”

 

           “First to make ten laps,” Lena said, “if I win, you have to show me more of your sketches.”

 

           Biting back a curse, Kara nodded – she couldn’t say no without rousing suspicion, because she couldn’t use privacy as an excuse when she’d already shared a few with Lena on occasion – and she scrambled for something to counter Lena’s wager. “If I win … you have to spend Christmas with me … and New Year. Which means coming to church and addressing the country on Christmas Day.”

 

           “That’s it?” Lena snorted, “you think that it’s a loss for me to have to spend Christmas with you?”

 

           “Isn’t it?” Kara asked, frowning slightly.

 

           Lena laughed, and Kara envisioned her rolling her eyes behind her helmet’s visor, “please. I have celebrated anything in _years_. I’d be forced to stand on the front steps of the palace, feign polite interest in some bloody transparent speech from my bastard brother, and then go home and pretend like I have nothing better to do. At least I’ll be able to wind you up over the holidays, that’s _something_ at least.”

 

           Closing her eyes and pressing her lips together, Kara suppressed a sigh. This wasn’t turning into the wager she’d expected, and she couldn’t even be _mad_ , because Lena was agreeing with her – willingly – and seemed almost relieved at the prospect of not spending the holidays with her family, even if she wouldn’t admit it outright. “Oh … well, I guess you can come either way then.”

 

           “So, your wager?” Lena asked.

 

           Shrugging slightly, Kara jammed her helmet down on her head and climbed into her own racecar, “I’m sure I’ll think of something. I’ll take an I owe you for now.” Quickly strapping herself in and checking to make sure everything was okay, Kara gave Lena a thumbs up and they both started the cars. “Ready?” Kara shouted over the sound of the engines rumbling, and she barely heard the sound of Lena’s laughter, before the other girl shot off.

 

           “Hey! That’s cheating!” Kara yelled, already shooting off after her in an attempt to keep up. They wound around the looping track at high speeds that would’ve made Kara nervous if she didn’t know the track by heart. The rush at the beginning of the race fuelled her competitiveness, and she found herself laughing wildly as she sped past Lena and gained the upper hand. They pushed each other, trying to best one another, and they took it in turns being in the lead, until on the tenth lap, Kara inched over the finish line a foot ahead of Lena.

 

           Bringing the cars to a stop, Kara let out a triumphant shot, which died on her lips as she watched Lena unbuckle herself and climb out of the car. Her tight jumpsuit accentuated curves that Kara had never paid attention to before – or she told herself she hadn’t – and she pulled her helmet off, running a hand through her long hair that blew out behind her. A slight frown graced her face, and she locked eyes with Kara as she made her way over. Kara quickly unbuckled her own seatbelt and took off her helmet, wincing at the blinding whiteness of the sky as Lena approached. She didn’t have a chance to say anything, before Lena was leant over her, cupping her chin and tilting Kara’s head up, before placing a firm kiss on her lips. All of the staff had come outside to watch the race, and she knew a few would be sneaking some photos, along with Maggie, who dutifully took photos for Kara all the time so that she could document her relationship with Lena on Instagram. The kiss would make a good one, if she ever posted it. Most of the time she never did, because something about sharing an intimate photo with Lena just didn’t sit right with her, even though they were taken for that very moment. Kara just assumed it was because of her own discomfort with public affection, and she knew that Lena felt the same about it too.

 

           “Thank you,” Lena sincerely told her when she pulled back, “that was … _exhilarating._ You were right; I did enjoy it. _”_

 

           “I’m glad,” Kara smiled at her as she jumped out of her car, “maybe we can come again sometime.”

 

           Lena gave her a small smile, “well, it’d be a waste to not use this beautiful car, and I have to say, I _love_ the jumpsuit. So yes, perhaps we can.”

 

\---

 

           Kara was stood at the bottom step of the grand staircase in the palace, nervously tugging at the collar of her jacket. It was a beautiful white coat, with a double row of silver buttons down the front, and silver laurel patterns were embroidered everywhere - on the collar and cuffs, and down the front and the tails of it. The inside was a bright red, and the shoulder epaulettes too, with silver braided cords to match the embroidery. White leggings were tucked into knee high white socks, and she wore black shoes with buckles on the tongue. It was all fashioned after the Russian Imperial Army uniforms – Lena’s favourite time period – and Kara was jittery as she stared at the red carpet running down the stairs, waiting for Lena to appear. Brushing a stray curl back into the rest of her hair, which was pinned loosely into place with little diamond pins, Kara took a slow breath and fiddled with the little white silk gloves.

 

           The sound of footsteps reached her ears, and she whirled around, an anxious look on her face, which quickly split into a smile as she breathlessly laughed. With startling shock, Kara stared at Lena, and was struck by how beautiful she looked – she seemed to look more beautiful than before every time Kara saw her. She wore a white flowing dress, with thin straps and a slightly lower back and front than what would’ve been expected for Imperial Russia. A thin gauzy layer studded with diamonds went over the top, forming little short sleeves, stopping just above her elbow, where the long white gloves reached. The skirts were loose, and trailed out behind her as she descended the steps, her short white heels flashing out from beneath them with each step she took. The diamond choker Kara had given her was clasped around her neck, and she wore beautiful diamond earrings, which didn’t capture Kara’s attention at all. It was the delicate arch of her pale neck, the sharp jawline, and the perfectly painted pink lips, quirked in a slight smirk, and the cocked full eyebrow that almost seemed to be sarcastic. Then there were her eyes, the sea green colour seeming to sparkle with amusement as they locked onto Kara’s blue ones, and Kara gave her a wonky smile, feeling her nerves grow. The ball had been a bad idea; she could already feel it. Something was wrong.

 

           “Well, don’t you look … _handsome_ ,” Lena said, biting back a smile as she reached the bottom step, and Kara flushed with embarrassment, spreading her arms as she looked down at herself.

 

           “Well, you know, Imperial Russia was a little dramatic,” Kara said, grimacing slightly, “and I wanted it to be perfect. You look very lovely, by the way.”

 

           Lena gave her a small smile, “I appreciate the gesture, and I’m very flattered that you would go through the trouble of throwing me a ball. I’m assuming you’re throwing me a ball? You haven’t exactly told me what’s happening, but why else would we be wearing these costumes?”

 

           “Yes, I am,” Kara admitted, “and I’m sorry if it wasn’t what you wanted, but … the publicity. Also, I know how much you love Imperial Russia, so for one night, you get to play the part too. There’s a lot of people here though – ones you probably don’t want to see, so I’m sorry about that, but it couldn’t be avoided.”

 

           “You mean my mother and brother?” Lena asked, arching an eyebrow while she smiled tightly at Kara.

 

           Shrugging guiltily, Kara gave her a sheepish smile, “amongst others.”

 

           Lena nodded and took a deep breath, “well, let’s do it then.”

 

           “Wait, I want some nice photos first,” Kara told her, nodding at Maggie, who also nodded, looking very unhappy at having to be in costume for the ball, even if she was only going to be there to keep an eye on Kara. She wore something similar to Kara, except a lot less gaudy, and with more guns than Kara had strapped to her. Fishing Kara’s phone out of her pocket, Maggie stepped forward and raised it, pointing the camera at the two girls, who positioned themselves at the bottom of the stairs. After a miniature photoshoot, which they were both accustomed to by now, Kara gave Lena a playful bow, holding out her hand and waiting for Lena to place her gloved hand in hers. Together, they walked towards the ballroom, looking right at home in the lavishly decorated palace, and listening to the sounds of low voices growing louder as they approached the closed ballroom doors.

 

           The two guards in house livery bowed to the two girls, and Maggie spoke a quick word into her earpiece to one of the guards inside the ballroom, and at the muffled sound of them being announced, the two guards pulled the massive doors open. Plastering wide smiles onto their faces, they were met with polite applause, and everyone with flutes of champagne lifted their glasses in silent salutes to Lena. Making the rounds, hand in hand, they drank champagne and spoke to their guests, with Kara happily greeting her friends and Lena’s friends, while remaining a little more reserved when greeting other distinguished guests. It was strange introducing her friends and Alex to Lena’s friends – it seemed to make things more real – but luckily they all got along famously, and both Kara and Lena seemed to sag in relief, giving each other small smiles as they sipped their champagne.

 

           Somewhere along the way, they got separated, and Kara was standing off to the side, eating shrimp from a tray held by a server, and politely trying to feign interest in what the Prince of Daxam was boasting about. It was something about his new military advancement, which Kara knew was purely because he was the future king and didn’t really have to accomplish anything to get it – much like herself – but still, Kara politely congratulated him and inquired into his new role with all the grace and enthusiasm of someone who had to do this for a living, which she did.

 

           The sound of someone gently clearing their throat caught Kara’s attention, and her and Mon-El both looked to find Lena at Kara’s elbow, giving them both a charming smile. She brushed the epaulette on Kara’s left shoulder and pouted slightly, while simultaneously shooting Mon-El a dirty look, “darling, you promised me we’d dance.”

 

           “Oh, right, of course I did,” Kara said, giving her a bright smile, before turning back to Mon-El, “if you’ll excuse me, Your Highness.” He nodded, and gave them both a slight smile, before Kara let Lena whisk her away. Setting her empty glass down on a tray that a nearby server held, Lena dragged Kara into the middle of the room, where people were already waltzing. Coming face to face, Kara pressed her hand to Lena’s lower back, and put her other hand behind her back, while Lena put her hand on Kara’s shoulder and held her skirts in her other hand. Falling into step with the music, they gently began to move back and forth, with Kara leading them. They stared at each other for a moment, and then Kara leant in. “I had thought green was your colour,” Kara murmured in Lena’s ear, her lips curling up into a smile, “but this jealousy doesn’t suit you.”

 

           Lena pulled back slightly in her arms, scowling up at Kara, “jealous? Me? Of Mon-El? What do I have to be bloody _jealous_ of? You’re already mine.”

 

           Kara felt that tightening feeling in her chest again at the words, and she gave Lena a slight smile, the two of them shifting their position so that the hand behind Kara’s arm took Lena’s off her shoulder, holding it tightly in her own, and the two of them swayed slightly on the spot. Turning in a slow circle, she looked down at Lena, who stared back intently, and Kara felt her mouth go dry. They moved completely in sync, and all of the other dancers seemed to fade, leaving the two of them dancing alone in the middle of the room. She knew they would be the centre of attention – not only because it was Lena’s birthday, but because of _who_ they were – and Kara willed her smile not to falter. She felt odd, and she didn’t know why, but she knew she had to say something.

 

           “The necklace looks beautiful on you,” she blurted out, and the knot in her stomach seemed to tie itself into more knots – that was the wrong thing to say, and she could feel her heart pounding so hard that she was sure that Lena could feel it where their hands were joined.

 

           “Thank you again, it’s beautiful,” Lena sincerely told her, giving her a small smile.

 

           Kara nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat, “well, it was just collecting dust.”

 

           “It’s from your family’s collection?” Lena asked, her eyebrows shooting up in surprise.

 

           Eyes stinging slightly, Kara nodded again as she blinked rapidly, “it was my mother’s.”

 

           Lena’s mouth fell open and her eyes widened, “Kara, I can’t accept this. You should keep it for yourself.”

 

           Shaking her head, Kara gave her a wobbly smile, “no, I couldn’t bring myself to wear it. I told you it was priceless to me; there’s no one else I could see it on. Please, just … look after it.”

 

           “I’ll treasure it,” Lena assured her, and there was no mockery in her voice or on her face, and her gaze seemed to soften as she looked up at Kara. With a small smile, Kara leant in and pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek, and it was the first genuine kiss she’d ever given Lena, the first one that ever meant anything.

 

\---

 

           It was getting late, and Lena only had a few more hours left of her birthday, so Kara pulled her aside, having had her fill of dancing, food and socializing. “It’s a few hours before midnight; what would you like to do?”

 

           “Excuse me?” Lena asked, giving her a puzzled look.

 

           “Anything at all. Before it’s not your birthday anymore, what would you like to do?”

 

           Lena hesitated, giving Kara a small smile, and she took Kara’s hand in her own and started towing her towards the door. They slipped out of the ballroom unnoticed, as far as they knew, and Kara knew it wasn’t the polite thing to do, but she knew that Astra would make her excuses for her – besides, it would give everyone something to talk about.

 

           Kara dragged them both quickly upstairs, grabbing two coats from her closet, and a pair of wellies for them both, at Lena’s insistence, which had her guessing about where they were going. Before leaving her quarters, she snagged the most expensive bottle of whiskey she had from the liquor cabinet, and slipped Lena’s final present into her coat pocket, before the two of them made their way downstairs. Maggie and Hector came with them, both still dressed in their costumes as well, and the four of them were soon slipping through the gates in the back of the black car.

 

           Hector drove them miles out of the city limits, far into the sprawling countryside. It was too dark to make out much, but Kara could see rolling hills and thickets of trees in the weak light coming from the half moon, and she wondered where Lena wanted to go. She had her answer soon enough, when Lena leant forward abruptly, reaching through the car divider and touching Hector on the shoulder, “here’s fine.”

 

           They weren’t anywhere in particular, and Kara frowned in confusion as she stepped out of the car, the bottle of whiskey clutched tightly to her chest as she shivered slightly, grateful for the foresight of fetching a coat. She looked around at the featureless landscape, seeing no landmarks that could distinguish the place from any of the other miles of farmland and fields they had passed – there wasn’t even a light in sight – but she shrugged, following after Lena, who leant down to gather up a branch near the roots of a gnarled oak tree. Looking perplexed, Kara watched her pick up another stick, and then another and another, while Hector did the same, and soon enough, the two of them had their arms full of branches and twigs. Walking over to the flimsy fence, Lena parted the wire and stepped between the slats, finding herself inside a paddock, and Kara jumped over the fence to join her. Walking out to the middle of the field, Lena dropped her pile of wood and methodically began arranging them in a teepee formation, until Kara finally realized she was building a fire.

 

           “Are we _camping_ ,” she blurted out in confusion, and Lena let out a loud laugh that echoed around them. The skirts of her white dress were already muddy and grass stained, and her wellies sank into the damp grass as she crouched down. The moon washed over her face, turning her skin stark white and making her hair look even darker in the inky blackness of the countryside. She looked eerily beautiful in the ghostly light.

 

           “No, we’re not camping,” Lena quietly murmured, a faint laugh playing on her lips as she sounded amused, “it’s bonfire night.”

 

           “Oh, right,” Kara said, her teeth chattering as she laughed.

 

           Lena started on the pile of wood that Hector had brought over, and then accepted a small silver lighter off him, engraved with her initials. Kara’s mind flashed back to her smoking, and she frowned slightly in disapproval, until Lena carried on talking. “Every year I go out to a field and make a bonfire … and then I burn shit.”

 

           Kara was silent for a few moments, looking mildly concerned, before she gently cleared her throat, “well that’s … nice.” Lena let out another laugh as orange flames licked at the damp wood, creating a billowing cloud of smoke, but catching nonetheless. Satisfied that the fire was burning properly, Lena climbed to her feet, watching the flames grow higher, until the stack of wood flickered with orange and yellow fire that bathed everything in a warm glow, changing Lena’s features entirely. Now she looked sharp and brooding as she stared down at it in silence, and Kara was hesitant to say anything.

 

           Twisting the cap off the bottle, she took a swig of whiskey, pouring some over the flames and watching the fire go haywire while she laughed. Lena let out a surprised laugh, giving her a startled look, “calm down, you bloody pyro.” Kara laughed again, already feeling tingly from the amount of champagne she’d drunk, and took another sip, before handing the bottle over to Lena. They spent a few minutes exchanging sips, and then Hector produced a stack of papers and magazines and stood silently to Lena’s side with the pile in his arms. Lena plucked the first page of a newspaper from the top, letting out a sound of disgust as she looked at the headline, before balling it up and throwing it into the fire. The flames instantly licked at the paper, curling the edges and turning it black, before it crumbled to ashes. Kara gave her an odd look, and Lena gave her a hesitant smile, reaching for the next thing, “I burn all of the bad things that the press wrote about me, or other bad written things, from the past year. It’s … cathartic.”

 

           She held out a magazine article to Kara, and she found herself looking down at her face from beside Lena’s, their hands entwined and a full page story on their relationship. Kara felt a flicker of irritation at the nature of their relationship, and balled up the page, tossing it into the fire like Lena had done. They spent the better part of an hour burning the awful words written about Lena and sometimes both of them, and sharing the bottle of whiskey, until it was half gone and they were both feeling slightly giddy. Their clothes stank of smoke, they reeked of alcohol, and they shivered despite the warmth of the merrily crackling fire, but they were enjoying themselves too much to care about any of that. Finally, they came to the last item to burn, and Lena let out a cold laugh as she showed Kara a copy of the contract, her eyes glinting sharply in the firelight, and her lips giving Kara a wry smile.

 

           “Would you like to do the honours?” Lena asked her.

 

           Shaking her head, Kara buried her hands in her pocket, fiddling with Lena’s last present, and she cleared her throat slightly, “no, you go ahead.” She watched as Lena held the copy over the flames, letting them lick one corner of it and slowly travel up the pages, burning away any trace of the binding words that put them in this situation. Kara couldn’t help but wish it was that easy to get rid of the real ones.

 

           Once they were finished, Lena flopped down onto the ground, and Kara settled down beside her, feeling slightly ridiculous as the mood became more somber and she realized she was still dressed in her costume – the legging coming to a stop just below her knees, and tucking into her high socks. It looked even more ridiculous with the wellies, and the absurdity of the whole night, sat by the crackling bonfire, sobered Kara up slightly. She stared intently at the fire for a few minutes, listening to the wood crack and burn, and the flames snap and crackle, before taking a deep breath and drawing out her hand. Her fingers were closed over the thing in her palm, and she nudged Lena, who turned to look at her with a question in her eyes. She looked down at Kara’s hand, and Kara opened her hand up to reveal a small silver key nestled in the palm of her hand. Lena reached out and picked it up, her cold fingers grazing Kara’s skin and sending a slight shiver running through her body. “What does it unlock?” Lena asked, looking expectantly at Kara.

 

           She hoped that the fire hid the way her cheeks warmed, and she cleared her throat slightly, “a house.”

 

           “A house?” Lena echoed, her eyebrows rising in surprise.

 

           Kara shrugged slightly, scratching the back of her neck as she tried to act casual, “the next logical step seems to be moving closer to each other – not _in_ quite yet, because we’re not married yet, but _closer_. I’m not saying that you have to completely move to Krypton, but you’re here quite often so I thought you could use a house in Argo City – well, it’s a small estate on the outskirts – so you don’t have to keep staying at a hotel.”

 

           Lena was silent for a few moments, before her fingers curled around the key and she nodded, her eyes trained on the fire. She let out a shaky breath, before turning to look at Kara, “thank you, Kara.”

 

           “Happy Birthday.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> also btw you should watch the andrei and natasha waltz scene from war & peace bc it's kind of the vibe i was going for and the soundtrack is pretty as fuck


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well ...

_She was dreaming._

_She knew it was a dream, yet, there was something so_ real _about it._

_They were kissing, and it was a kiss unlike any other she’d ever had, and she knew she’d never had better this time, and she would readily admit it too. The feeling of the tongue in her mouth made her skin break out in goosebumps, and Kara shivered with pleasure, feeling desire well up inside. It wasn’t just her that she hadn’t kissed like this – she’d never kissed_ anyone _like this before. It was like she was starving, and she hadn’t known it until she’d been touched by those warm hands, with the long, slender fingers that were so capable and precise. They roamed her bare thighs, the short nails dragging slightly on her skin, and Kara broke off the kiss to let out a soft sigh, and her head rolled to the side as a path of hot kisses trailed down her neck. And then further, until those hands and that mouth seemed to be everywhere, and Kara twined her fingers in the dark hair, before she whispered a name._

_“Lena.”_

 

\---

 

            Shooting upright in bed, feeling hot and flushed with desire, Kara scrambled up to the top of her bed, kicking the sheets off her legs as she looked around the dark room in a panic. Her phone told her it was one o’clock in the morning, and Kara shoved her glasses on her face, feeling her heart thud in her chest as she scrambled out of bed, her thoughts whirling around her head too fast for her to make any sense of them. Only one thing stood out, and she felt her panic grow the second that she came anywhere near acknowledging it. Running towards her closet, Kara grabbed the first coat and pair of shoes her hands landed on, quickly pulling them on, before she grabbed the keys out of her bedside table drawer and burst out of the bedroom. Then she burst out into the corridor, mercifully finding it empty because Maggie was off duty for the night, and there would be guards at either end of the hallway.

 

            Quickly turning to the left, Kara breezed past a guard, who bowed slightly, and she kept on going. Moving faster and faster, until she was almost running through the palace, as if she was being chased, even though the thing that chased her was her own mind. She felt hot and sweaty by the time she reached the ground floor, and moved towards the west wing of the palace, heading for the doors. Two guards were posted inside, and they blinked in surprise at the unexpected arrival of their queen, and bowed slightly to her. She motioned for them to open the doors for her, and she squeezed out into the wintery night, shivering slightly at the welcome feeling of the cool breeze, which snaked its way under the collar of her coat, and gratefully sucking in a lungful of cold air. Taking the steps two at a time, Kara made for the garage on the other side of the courtyard, to the car she rarely drove herself in, and was soon pealing out of the garage from the cool interior of the sports car. The gates parted at her command, and she knew that security would be notified of her leaving the instant she was through the gates, but she didn’t care.

 

            She hated speeding, but Kara found her foot itching to press down on the accelerator and inch over the speed limit in her frenzied rush to get to her destination, but she stopped herself. The thought of being alone with her thoughts for a few minutes more than necessary tormented her mind, but she wouldn’t break the law to get there sooner. Instead, she turned the stereo on, blasting loud music through the speakers until the words seemed to rattle around in her head, chasing away the disturbing thoughts, and she loudly sang along, drowning out the few that snaked through the sound of the blaring music.

 

            It only took an hour to get to the Danvers’ estate, and Kara tore up the long driveway, bringing the car to a grinding halt as she pulled up the handbrake before she even finished breaking. Leaving the keys in the ignition, but the car turned off, she opened the door and stumbled as her feet touched down on the pebbled driveway. Almost tripping in her haste to get inside, Kara ran up the front steps and pounded on the heavy wooden door. There was no immediate answer, and she hadn’t brought her key, so she hammered away, until a disgruntled butler appeared, his eyes widening when he realized who it was. He bowed and immediately let her in, and Kara didn’t even pause as she took off through the manor house, heading straight for Alex’s room.

 

            She forced herself to slow down as she came upon her sister’s door, and she didn’t bother knocking, knowing that it wouldn’t stir Alex. Turning the handle, she let herself in and stumbled through the dark in the direction of the bed. “Alex,” Kara breathlessly said, her voice sounding extremely loud in the silence of the bedroom. She reached her sister’s bedside, and reached out to shake her awake, her voice cracking as she called her name again. “Alex.”

 

            Slowly stirring, Alex struggled upright, rubbing her tired eyes as she blearily blinked at her sister’s form looming out of the darkness. “Kara? It’s the middle of the night, what’re you doing here?”

 

            “I’m in love with her,” Kara choked out, before she was overcome with a sob that wracked her entire body, and dissolved into a teary mess.

 

            Alex quickly pushed the covers back and scrambled towards Kara, who was just standing there crying as she succumbed to the fear of finally admitting the truth of something that had been growing long before she’d ever realized. Something inside her had changed. It had changed, and it terrified her, and she didn’t know what to do. “Oh, _Kara_ ,” Alex softly sighed, pulling her close, which only seemed to make her cry harder. “I know you are. It’s okay.”

 

            She let out a choked sound of surprise at Alex’s words, feeling a sharp pain in her chest at the fact that her sister was right. The bet had started off as a joke, one which Kara had laughed off and thought ridiculous, but Alex had seen the truth. She’d seen it long before Kara had seen it herself. Even she couldn’t pinpoint the moment, but all she knew was that it had been building and building without her knowledge, and she would be lying to herself if she said she wasn’t the tiniest bit aware of it, but she didn’t know _why_ she felt the way she didn’t. In her mind it hadn’t been love; it had been admiration of Lena’s beauty, and a craving for her warmth and friendship, instead of the bitter snarkiness and coldness, and it had been a desire to make things work for the sake of the contract. Until it hadn’t. As she sobbed into Alex’s shoulder, letting her sister guide her down onto the bed and hold her close, Kara ran through every memory of the past few weeks. Only a week ago, it had been Lena’s birthday, and they’d danced and she’d teased Lena for being jealous, and they’d burned a copy of the contract and Kara hadn’t known _why_ she felt the desire for it to be that easy to destroy the real one. The dream had triggered her suppressed feelings, and now she knew that she wanted the contract broken so that it could be _real_. Not so that it could end, but so that everything they had wouldn’t be under false pretenses, and it wouldn’t be the product of blackmail and binding words. With that wish came the crushing weight of the knowledge that Lena would never love her back. If they managed to find a way to break the contract, that would be it; Lena would go, filled with relief at the fact that she could keep her title and fortune and rid herself of Kara, and Kara … she’d be left with everything she’d never wanted, and lose everything she _did_ want.

 

            With Alex’s comforting words whispered to her in the dark room, Kara cried until she’d exhausted herself, and then, spent, she crawled up to the top of the bed, laid her head down on one of the pillows, and fell asleep. She didn’t dream again, and it was a small mercy that, for a few hours, she could fall into obliviousness and avoid the overwhelming truth that she had fallen in love with the person she had been told to fall in love with. It was a conundrum that terrified her, when really, it should’ve made things easier. If only Lena loved her back.

 

\---

 

            Waking with the first glimmer of light peeking through Alex’s curtains, Kara stared up at the ceiling, listening to her sister breathe deeply and evenly, still fast asleep, and felt her eyes sting as her thoughts turned to Lena. Letting out a shuddering breath, Kara ran a hand over her weary face, dreading facing the day. She was supposed to be having lunch with Lena, who was bringing Sam, and Alex, who had invited Lucy, but she couldn’t face her. Knowing what she knew, about how she felt, made her feel sick with nervousness, and she knew that she couldn’t stand to face Lena and not tell her. But how could she tell her? Tossing the thoughts of what she’d realized over and over, Kara waited for Alex to wake up. She needed someone to help her make sense of it all, and seeing as Alex apparently knew everything, she needed her sister.

 

            Eventually, her sister stirred, slowly sitting up and stretching her arms out wide, accidentally bumping into Kara. Almost as if she’d forgotten Kara was there, Alex’s yawn cut off and she looked at Kara in surprise, before her gaze softened slightly. “Hey.”

 

            “Morning,” Kara said, her voice coming out slightly hoarse after a night of crying. She didn’t look at Alex, she just carried on staring up at the ceiling, and anxiously awaited Alex’s inevitable questions.

 

            “Kara,” Alex quietly said after a few moments of silence, reaching out to gently touch her sister’s shoulder, “you can talk to me. It’s okay.”

 

            Letting out a shaky breath, Kara closed her eyes, shaking her head slightly. “It's not _okay._ What am I going to do, Alex?” she asked, her voice breaking on her name.

 

            “Is it really so bad? You being in love with her?” Alex softly asked, and Kara sharply inhaled at the word. She didn’t want to hear it spoken out loud; it had been bad enough her admitting it last night. Blinking quickly to dispel the tears the welled up in her eyes, she drew in a shallow breath, and exhaled forcefully.

 

            “It is the _worst_ thing that could ever have happened to me,” Kara whispered, and she was aware of the sharp, curious look Alex gave her. “She'll _hate_ me for it.”

 

            “You’re going to _tell_ her?” Alex incredulously asked, and Kara let out a tearful laugh.

 

            “No. Never,” Kara said, “I-I can’t.”

 

            Alex paused for a moment, and Kara could almost hear her thinking in the silence, before she heard her sister draw in a hesitant breath, pausing before asking. “And what if she loves you too?”

 

            “Alex,” Kara sharply said, jerking upright and facing her sister with as she blanched slightly. “Why would you-“

 

            “Hey, it’s okay, I’m sorry. I’m just- it’s been a long time coming, Kara,” Alex gently said, reaching out and grabbing her hand, giving it a small squeeze as she smiled slightly. “It’s … I know I made fun of you, but it’s nothing to be ashamed of. I saw you, at the ball; I saw both of you. The way you danced … Kara, you’ve been in love with her for _weeks_ , maybe even _months_. You didn't see it, but, _god_ , just the way you  _are_ around her. It's so painfully obvious, but you just ... you didn't see it. Neither of you did.”

 

            Struggling to get up out of bed, Kara’s feet touched the cold floor, and she ran a hand through her messy hair, pacing back and forth as her breathing sped up and her pulse leapt. “No, no, no. This is all _wrong_ , Alex. I don’t want to love her, I _can’t_. This messes everything up. I can’t fall in love with her.”

 

            “Kara, there’s no falling,” Alex quietly said, “you already _do_ , and that’s _okay_.

 

            “I’m not in love with her,” Kara said, the lie sounding hollow as it fell off her tongue, “love is supposed to make you feel good, and I don’t feel good right now, Alex. I feel … I fell like I’m going to be sick.” She looked pale in the dimly lit room, and her nervousness and fear was making her feel like she was gong to be sick. For all of her pretending with Lena – all of the fake kisses, lavish gifts and public displays – the thought of _actually_ being in love with Lena made her feel worse than pretending ever had.

 

            "What changed?"

 

            A hysterical laugh bubbled up, and Kara looked at her with wide, slightly maddened eyes, "I had a dream. A dream about  _her_. We-we were- she was- and then I-"

 

            "Oh  _god_ , you had a sex dream about her?" Alex groaned, and Kara let out a pitiful sound, her shoulders heaving as she went into full panic mode. It all sounded so much worse being spoken aloud, and she could feel herself on the verge of tears again, furiously blinking them back as she tried to fight back the feeling.

 

            Watching her sister panic, knowing that she couldn't help, was unbearable, and Alex climbed out of bed and wrapped Kara in a hug. Kara felt a lump form in her throat as she clutched at her sister, burying her face in her shoulder as she fought back another wave of panic. “What am I going to do, Alex?”

 

            They fell into silence for a few moments, and then Alex pulled back, brushing Kara’s hair out of her face and kissing her on her forehead, “I don’t know, kid, but I’ve got you.” The words did nothing to comfort her, but the knowledge that Alex would always be on her side was enough.

 

            Pushing aside all thoughts of Lena for the time being, Kara showered and dressed in some of Alex’s borrowed clothes, before walking out into the hallway, and almost bumping into Maggie, who looked tired after being woken in the middle of the night to come and keep watch over her charge. Murmuring a quiet apology, and ignoring the questioning look in the other girl’s eyes, Kara walked through the house, leaving Alex to get ready.

 

            She walked into the small dining room, her eyes landing on Eliza, who was siting at the long wooden table, reading the newspaper and enjoying a cup of coffee. Despite the dreary weather outside, the room was warm and full of light, and the sound of a fire crackling in the hearth was almost enough to drown out the gentle sound of light rain that lashed against the windows. The dark grey of the clouds betrayed the mild wintery weather though, and Kara knew they were in for worse weather as the day wore on, much like her own anticipated problems, which were going to get worse as the day wore on.

 

            Eliza looked up at the sound of the door being opened for Kara, and she smiled brightly, her cup rattling as she placed it back on the saucer, and folded the newspaper in half. “They told me you were here,” she said, climbing to her feet and reaching out for Kara, who came to give her adoptive mother an obliging hug and kiss on the cheek. Pulling back, Eliza looked at her with concern, cupping Kara’s cheek as she took in the dark circles under her eyes, and the dull look to the usually bright and warm blue eyes. “Is everything okay, sweetheart? You usually don’t pop by in the early hours of the morning like that, and you look like you haven’t slept all night.”

 

            “It was just … a bad dream,” Kara said, which was only half true; the dream had been good, but the repercussions of it were the bad part. She gave Eliza a tired smile, “I’m fine, Eliza, really.”

 

            “Okay,” the older woman warily said, caving in to Kara’s insistence, “come and have something to eat. It might help perk you up a bit; there’s coffee and bacon.”

 

\---

 

            She was sitting in the middle of a tearoom in one of the most expensive tea houses in Argo City, across the table from Alex, and next to Lucy. Lena had messaged to say that her and Sam had left, after a morning fencing session, and she was on her way there, where had Kara’s palms sweating at the thought of having to look Lena in the eye and come face to face with the thing that had been growing inside her for the past few months. So far, they’d caught up on everything that had happened over the past few weeks, drinking tea and getting started on the first serving of cakes and finger sandwiches while they waited for the other two girls to join them.

 

            After she couldn’t take it anymore, and knowing that her window to ask was closing with the impending arrival of Lena, Kara cleared her throat slightly, setting her cup down and leaning in closer to Lucy so she wouldn’t be overheard. “I need to ask you something,” Kara said, and Lucy looked at her expectantly, while Alex stared intently at her from across the round table. Kara lowered her voice further, squirming as she hedged around the topic, “I need to ask you something as my _lawyer_.”

 

            Lucy seemed to straighten slightly in her seat, suddenly all business as she shed her friendship persona and waited for Kara to elaborate. Seeing the hesitation on her face, she gave her a warm smile, “is it about the contract? I’m trying a different angle, but nothing yet. Her Highness’ lawyer has been in touch too, and I can assure you that we’re still working on it. I promise you, Kara, as your friend, I won’t stop until I find a way out of this for you.”

 

            Her mouth went dry at Lucy’s words, and she gave her a wavering smile, “thank you, Lucy. It- uh, yes, it’s about … _that_ , but, uh, I just … I have a question about it.” She paused, trying to scramble for the words to ask the question, and she opened and closed her mouth a few times, feeling her cheeks heat at her thoughts. “What does it say about … love?”

 

            “Love?” Lucy asked in surprise, her eyes flashing to Alex’s face and seeming to get all the confirmation she needed from one look, “wha- you- _oh_. Um, well, it doesn’t. It wasn’t _intended_ for it to be that way, but, um, I’ll double check for you when I go to the office.”

 

            “Thank you,” Kara quietly murmured, reaching for her cup and talking a gulp of scalding tea to hide her embarrassment of admitting that she had feelings for Lena, even if she hadn’t had to say the words to Lucy. She didn’t have to; just asking the question said everything that she couldn’t bring herself to say.

 

            She’d no sooner finished swallowing her mouthful of tea when the was the muffled sound of shouting as paparazzi outside the building started clamoring for someone’s attention, and Kara didn’t have to guess at whose it was. The door opened, and Lena swept inside with a gust of cold air, her cheeks red from the cold, and her dark hair messy from the wind which had blown it around her face. Kara quickly looked down at her plate, staring at the shortbread biscuit, which she hadn’t even touched, and the half-eaten tuna and cucumber sandwich. She didn’t see Sam follow Lena inside, or the way that Lena’s eyes trained on Kara’s face as she was helped out of her coat by a server, and strutted over to the table.

 

            “Darling,” Lena greeted her, loud enough for everyone within earshot to hear, and Kara looked up from her plate, smiling slightly as she raised her head, even though she didn’t look at Lena’s face. Lena ducked down to try and kiss her, but Kara turned her head slightly, and Lena’s lips landed on her cheek, and she pulled back, giving Kara a puzzled look as she took her seat.

 

            “Sam, it’s good to see you,” Kara greeted the other girl, who gave her a warm smile and returned the sentiment. Kara genuinely did enjoy seeing her, and she was glad that Lena had brought her along, giving her someone else to focus her attention on. “How was fencing?”

 

            “I won, of course,” Lena smugly replied, smiling at Sam, who rolled her eyes.

 

            “You won the _majority_ ,” Sam corrected her, “but not every match.”

 

            Lena laughed, and Kara felt the telltale tightening in her chest that she’d been ignoring for weeks, and now she knew why. “But I still won. Perhaps you should verse Kara, that way you might win. Isn’t that right, _sweetheart._ ”

 

            At the slightly mocking tone in which she was addressed, Kara glanced up at Lena, taking in the slight smirk, and giving her a tight smile of her own. “Right.”

 

            She turned back to her cup of tea and picked up the cup, fiddling with the handle and letting the warmth seep into her hands. Lena stared at her for a few moments, and Kara could feel the hard look she was receiving and willed herself not to blush. She was saved by Alex asking Lena if she would teach her to fence at some point in the future, and Sam jumped in with a friendly teasing, oblivious to the fact that Alex was trying to keep Lena’s attention off her sister. Silently scolding herself, Kara tried to pull it together, knowing that Lena had already noticed that something was off about her, and she didn’t want her to ask any questions because that would be the quickest way for Kara to crumble under the weight of her feelings towards Lena. She had to keep it together, and more importantly, she had to keep it to herself, otherwise the contract would fall to pieces, and she couldn’t ruin Lena’s life like that. Perhaps that had been her main motivation to keep it going; not out of a need to make her parents proud of her, but a need for Lena to be allowed to security of her title and money, which she so desperately needed. Kara couldn’t take it away form her for her own selfish desires, and she knew that if she told Lena how she felt, Lena would run out of her own fears of allowing Kara to get close to her. There was no doubt in her mind that Lena would rather give up her fortune than let Kara love her, even if she didn’t love her back, so Kara made a silent promise to herself, then and there, that she would set her feelings aside and focus on upholding the contract. Plastering a forced smile on her face, Kara reached for the other half of the finger sandwich and took a small bite, hoping her nervous stomach could handle the food as she peeked at Lena out of the corner of her eye, watching her brush her hair back with her hand. With a start, Kara dropped her sandwich onto her place and choked slightly on her mouthful, remembering what those hands were doing to her in her dream.

 

            All eyes turned to her, and she felt herself blush bright red as she forced herself to swallow and washed it down with some tea. Alex let out a lighthearted laugh and made a joke, before engaging the girls in conversation again, and only Lena kept her attention of Kara, which was the exact opposite of what she wanted. "Are you okay?" Lena asked, "you seem ... odd today."

 

            "I'm fine," Kara muttered, and at the flicker of concern that flashed across Lena's face, she elaborated, "this time of year is always bad for me. It's nothing; just a ... bad dream."

 

            "Oh," Lena softly replied, reaching out and placing a hand over Kara's which was resting on the table, her hand balled into a fist, and Kara knew she only did it for the benefit of everyone watching, and so she fought back the urge to pull it away. "Speaking of dreams, I had one about you last night."

 

            Kara had just picked up her tea, hoping to avoid any further talking, and took a sip just as Lena spoke. She choked again, and felt her cheeks flame red again as everyone looked at her again. "A dream? About me? Uh, wha- what happened?"

 

            "We made pizza," Lena shrugged, giving Kara an odd look, "and then you pushed me out of a plane because you wanted to go sky diving. Dream you is an asshole." 

 

            Letting out a hesitant laugh, Kara set her cup down again and reached for her sandwich, this time shoving the whole half into her mouth and chewing quickly, before reaching for another one and repeating the process. Anything to stop the conversation with Lena; anything to stop herself from looking like an idiot and messing everything up. For the first time since they had been thrown together in this mess, Kara felt herself drawing away from Lena, closing herself off and pushing Lena away in the same way she'd accused Lena of doing. She didn't know how long she was going to be able to keep it up, and it had only been a few hours. She was too awkward to pretend around people; the only reason why her fake relationship with Lena worked so well was because there had been chemistry between them, in the way they bickered and poked fun at each other, so it didn't  _feel_ fake. But now ... she had to lie to Lena's face in private, and the whole world in public, and the weight of that knowledge was too much for Kara. The one outstanding thought in all of it was how she loved Lena, and couldn't tell her, and just how much Lena would hate her for lying to her. There was nothing Lena hated more than lying, and she would never forgive Kara for this. Still, she had to do it, or she would lose Lena forever, along with everything else they had fought so hard for.


	24. Chapter 24

            “Are you going to tell me what’s wrong?”

 

            Kara jerked her head up in surprise, meeting Lena’s expectant gaze as she looked at Kara with raised eyebrows. It was one of the handful of times she’d looked Lena directly in the eye over the past week, and she quickly looked back down again. The way Lena asked left no room for denial; she knew there was something wrong, and she was going to be pragmatic about it, because she’d given Kara a week, and her mood hadn’t improved at all.

 

            It didn’t stop Kara from denying it though. “Nothing’s wrong,” she quickly said, her defenses shooting up so that Lena wouldn’t be able to get past them. She had been struggling to come to terms with things for the past week, and avoiding thinking about it wasn’t helping at _all_. It also didn’t help that Lena had spent the past week at her new house in Argo City, adding personal touches to it with Sam and Veronica’s help, and visiting the palace every day to keep up appearances. Kara wished that she wouldn’t.

 

            “Okay it’s one thing to be moody and not want to talk about it, but don’t lie to me and say that nothing’s wrong,” Lena said, her patience wearing thin with Kara’s denial.

 

            “Fine, I don’t want to talk about it,” Kara said, ruffling the fur of a kitten the wandered past. They were at an animal shelter that Kara donated to as one of her charities, and Lena had asked if she would take her, much to Kara’s surprise. They’d spent the last couple of hours playing with cats and dogs and laughing, even if Kara’s was a bit forced, while the volunteer workers took sneaky photos, with some of them being bold enough to ask outright for one.

 

            Sighing, Lena absentmindedly rubbed the head of a little golden retriever puppy as it attempted to lick her face. “We went for pancakes Tuesday morning, and to your favourite sketching place yesterday, and here today. Nothing is cheering you up, so if there’s _anything_ I can do, please just bloody tell me so I can stop thinking of ways to drag you out of whatever pissing thing is making you so sodding miserable.”

 

            Blinking in surprise at the quiet outburst, Kara met Lena’s gaze again, taking in the exasperation held within the green eyes. There was also mild concern, and Kara was surprised, because she knew that Lena rarely showed the caring side of her. “It’s- I told you, this time of year is bad for me. It’s not anything in particular,” Kara lied, the words feeling thick on her tongue as she spoke them. They weren’t true, of course, but she couldn’t tell Lena the truth, no matter how much it tortured her to keep it to herself.

 

            At the gentle touch of a warm hand on her leg, Kara looked down and stared at the long, pale fingers, and felt her heart spasm at the sight of them splayed on her thigh. The fingers had been spread like that on her thigh in her dream, and Kara felt a flutter of panic at the memory. Fighting back a blush, she moved her leg so that Lena’s hand fell limply to the floor, leaving Lena to give her a slightly peeved look. She’d been trying harder than ever lately, and Kara appreciated it, but she also wished that she wouldn’t, because now Kara wasn’t so sure being all in all the time was such a good idea. It would’ve been easier to smile for the cameras and not talk, and it was only at her insistence that they’d spent so much time getting to know each other. She only had herself to blame.

 

            With another sigh, Lena removed the kittens and puppies from her lap and climbed to her feet, holding a hand out for Kara, who just stared at it blankly. “Come on,” Lena impatiently beckoned, and she slowly put her hand in Lena’s and let herself be yanked to her feet, “we’re done here.”

 

            Dusk was descending over the city by the time they’d thanked everyone, grabbed their coats and slipped out into the freezing cold. The end tail of the November weather had the rain pouring down in heavy sheets, and the wind buffeted them, blowing the stinging rain into their faces as they were herded towards the car by Hector and Maggie. Lena grabbed Kara’s hand and pulled her to a stop though, “no, let’s go for a walk.”

 

            “A walk? Lena it’s _pouring_ down,” Kara pointed out, feeling a trickle of rain run down the side of her face.

 

            “Water won’t kill you - I mean, it _can_ , but walking in rain won’t - and you need to clear your head. You’re being almost as bloody unbearable as I was at the beginning of this whole thing, and I’m starting to think that maybe I was a bit of a twat.”

 

            “You think,” Kara darkly muttered.

 

            “Well now you’re being one, you dozy cow, so we’re going for a walk before I strangle you in the back of the car,” Lena told her, and Kara forced out a small laugh, letting Lena start dragging her along. Maggie fetched two umbrellas from the back of the car, immediately putting one up and hurrying to cover the two girls - mostly Kara - before Kara took it off her and held it against the strong wind, while Maggie put the other one up for herself and Hector.

 

            They walked down the street, shivering in the cold and feeling their cheeks turn numb at the freezing cold. It did nothing to improve Kara’s mood, and, if anything, having Lena loop her arm through hers and snuggle up close to her side just made her feel _worse_. It was everything she could never have - not beyond this farce - and she was glad there were photographers snapping their photos and shouting for their attention, because it gave her something else to focus on.

 

            They were silent as they walked, listening to the patter of rain and sloshing through shallow puddles on the sidewalk. Kara just wanted to go home, but she knew that Lena wouldn’t be too happy about her shutting herself down, and so she decided to play along, and maybe she’d be able to throw Lena off her back for a few days. She knew that she couldn’t hide the truth forever, but as Kara peeked at Lena out of the corner of her eye, she knew that she couldn’t tell her. This carefully cultivated fake relationship would descend into chaos, and she wasn’t sure it would be able to rise from the ruins of the destruction the truth would cause. It was one thing for them to pretend, but it was another for Kara to actually be in love with Lena, and there was a very distinct line between the two. Kara let out a surprised laugh as a sudden memory came to her, and Lena gazed up at her curiously, waiting for Kara to tell her what was so funny. The memory of her asking what would happen if one of them fell in love with someone else had flooded back to her, and Kara found it ironically amusing that it hadn’t been someone else, but she couldn’t tell Lena that. Grateful for the cold that had turned her cheeks pink, Kara tried not to let the blush become too apparent, and gave Lena a tense smile. “Just thinking about Alex,” Kara said, and Lena’s curiosity was replaced with a mildly interested look as she turned her attention back to the direction they were walking.

 

            Thinking that they would turn around soon, Kara let out a squeak of surprise when Lena jerked her backwards and to a stop, turning to face the bar they had almost walked past. “Fancy a drink?”

 

            “It's Thursday night,” Kara pointed out, and Lena arched an eyebrow.

 

            “And? Trust me, if you’re ever going to start getting pissed during a weeknight, I’d start today, because I don’t think you could be anymore … _off_ ,” Lena said, giving her a lopsided smile. “Come on, Kara, what’re you afraid of?”

 

            Bristling at the sly dig at her pride, Kara pushed her shoulders back slightly and gazed down at Lena intently. Their eyes met, and she saw the challenge in Lena’s eyes, and she gave her a nod, watching as the challenging look changed to one of approval. Kara didn’t know how much she craved that approval until she saw the look in Lena’s eyes, and she knew that she would do anything that Lena asked her to, and that knowledge terrified her. Still, she let Lena drag her into the warmth, and through the packed room, seeking out an empty table. A hush seemed to descend over the place, and all conversations turned to murmurs, leaving the old rock song on the jukebox seeming extremely loud as everyone fell quiet and stared at the royals. Ignoring them, Lena found a small booth somewhere in the middle of the room, and handed Hector some money for him to buy them drinks, before sliding onto the cracked leather seat and shrugging out of her coat. Kara followed suit, almost moving robotically as she copied Lena’s movements, keeping her eyes on the wood grain as she did so. There was only a couple of feet between them, and she knew that they would have to look close and intimate in the cozy bar, but if she leant forward, Kara would be too close – _dangerously_ close – and she didn’t want to be, yet she did more than anything.

 

            As soon as the glass of red wine was set down in front of her, Kara picked it up and drained it, much to Lena’s shock, even though she did look somewhat impressed at the same time, and Kara reached for the bottle that Hector held, refilling her glass. “We’re going to need another one,” Kara told him, slipping a note out of her purse and handing it over to him.

 

            Lena let out a quiet laugh, sipping her own wine, and leaving red lipstick marks around the rim of her glass. Kara swallowed the lump in her throat as she looked at the lipstick stains, and her eyes darted up to Lena’s lips, wondering if they would taste like the wine, or if she was just taunting herself with the thought of how sweet she would taste. With startling shock, Kara balled her hands into fists and hid them under the table, feeling mortified at her thoughts; she couldn’t believe she hadn’t realized she was in love with Lena. She couldn’t believe no one _else_ had realized it. Ever since the dream, Kara had found herself running over every interaction between them – every touch, every word, every action – and she recalled the dozens of times she’d paid extra attention to what Lena was wearing, even going as far as to buy her clothes in complimenting colours, and telling herself that all of the loving and lingering looks were purely because of the cameras. She hadn’t known it herself, but it has been so glaringly _obvious_ , and Kara wanted to kick herself for being so oblivious. Only one of them was lying in this game now, and it wasn’t her.

 

\---

 

            The two bottles of wine were empty, and Kara felt less tense as she sat across from Lena, her cheeks flushed and her eyes bright as she laughed at some story Lena told her about boarding school in Ireland. She was slightly buzzed from the wine, and she was on high alert with her words and actions – not wanting to let on that there was more behind them then Lena should expect – and struggling to keep her walls up. Kara had never been one to lock people out, and it was a struggle for her to do it with Lena after so many months of being so vulnerable and open with her, but she knew that it was necessary. Getting tipsy in a bar probably wasn’t the best idea to keep Lena at a distance, but it was what Kara needed right now, and she was struck by how intuitive Lena actually was, even if she never let anyone see. She’d seen how Kara was struggling, and even though she didn’t know _why_ , she had spent the whole week cheering her up in different ways, and even when none of them had worked, she’d decided to get Kara drunk enough to blow off some steam. It wasn’t as good a plan as they thought though.

 

            “Oh my God, you’re the Princess of Thorul,” a blonde girl gushed as she approached the table, finding her way barred by Hector and Maggie, who both reached out to stop her from getting past them. “And you’re the _Queen_. Oh wow, I can’t believe you’re in a bar like _this_ , this is insane.”

 

            Kara’s eyes creased at the corners as she smiled at the girl, pushing her glasses up her nose, but the girl wasn’t looking at her, she was looking at Lena. Picking up her wine glass, Lena rolled the delicate stem between her fingers, before draining the last few drops and setting it carefully down on the table. “Well, even we like to do normal things sometimes,” Lena curtly replied, giving the blonde the barest hint of a smile.

 

            “Right, of course!” she enthusiastically agreed, “my name’s Eve, by the way. I’m a really big fan of your work.”

 

            “And what work would that be?” Lena snorted, shooting Kara a quick glare at the kick aimed her way under the table. Giving Lena a warning look, Kara slipped her arms into her coat and put it on; they were just about to leave.

 

            The blonde hesitated for a moment, before giving Lena a bright smile, “oh, well, your charity work of course. I’m a big admirer of people who like to _give back_ ; it’s … _hot_.” Kara was suddenly struck with a tight feeling in her chest, and she clenched her hands as she looked at the girl. Giving her a hard stare, Kara wasn’t sure why she felt irritated; she didn’t know this girl, and she hadn’t done anything wrong. And then she realized; it was the way that she stressed certain words, and the slightly seductive way she smiled at Lena, and the way she called her hot. She was _flirting_ with Lena, and Kara was jealous. The realization that she was jealous of this random girl they would never see again made Kara blanch, and she couldn’t stop the feeling of jealousy from growing as she watched the blonde carry on complimenting Lena, who was oblivious to Kara’s inner turmoil. By all rights, she had _no_ right to be jealous of people flirting with Lena – whether Kara had feelings for her or not – but Lena was _her_ fake girlfriend, and so Kara knew she was entitled to act like she had the right. “God, I love you, you’re just _amazing_ , and so beautiful.”

 

            “I’m very lucky,” Kara smoothly interjected, and Eve blinked in surprise as she looked at Kara, seeming to have forgotten she was there. Giving her a cold smile, Eve stumbled slightly and let out a squeal before dissolving into a fit of giggles. Lena lid out of the booth, and Kara followed after her.

 

            “Wait, no, don’t go,” Eve begged, “can I get a picture with you?”

 

            Lena grimaced slightly, but nodded at Hector to let the girl past her, and he obligingly took the phone that was shoved into his hands by the eager blonde. Kara didn’t want to get in the photo – and she had the sneaking suspicion that Eve didn’t want one with _her_ anyway – and she cast an uneasy look around the bar, taking in the dozens of people watching with interest. Some of them had their phones out, taking their own photos, and she could see the odd camera flash through the windows as the paparazzi tried to get some clear shots of them inside. Kara’s stomach twinged at the way the blonde pressed herself up against Lena’s side, and Kara hated herself for feeling that way as another wave of jealousy washed over her. It left a bitter taste in her mouth, and she averted her eyes for a second as she tried to get her emotions in check, telling herself it was just the wine. Looking back up, she watched Lena smile slightly, if a little tensely at the invasion of her personal space, and Hector quickly snapped a photo and held the phone out to the girl, who unwrapped herself from Lena to take it.

 

            Kara held her hand out to Lena, trying to keep her face neutral as she watched Lena take a step towards her. Before their fingers could intertwine, Lena stumbled backwards as Eve threw herself at her, grabbing her face in her hands and pressing a sloppy kiss to Lena’s lips. Eyes widening in shock, Kara’s mouth fell open and she watched as Lena roughly shoved the girl back. “What the bloody hell are you doing?” Lena shouted, giving her another push, and sending the girl stumbling backwards. Her face was contorted in anger, and Kara felt her own anger bubble up, watching as Hector grabbed Lena and began herding her towards the door. Eve reached out to touch Lena, who snarled at her, “don’t you fucking touch me.”

 

            Maggie’s hand pressing at her back got Kara to unfreeze, and her mouth felt dry as she was propelled towards the door, feeling dozens of eyes watching them as they made their way through the bar. Kara knew it had been a mistake coming here. There were too may people, all of them with their phones out, and the paparazzi outside, and she _knew_ that tomorrow Lena’s face would be all over the news, kissing a girl that wasn’t her. She felt sick as jealousy reared its ugly head again, but she stamped it down – it wasn’t the time, nor the place for it – and sucked in a lungful of cold air as she stepped out of the stuffy bar and into the cool night. The rain had stopped since they’d been inside, and Kara quickly stormed after Lena, her face a hard mask as she splashed through puddles and hurried back the way they had walked.

 

            A few minutes later they were pulling up to their car, where a group of photographers were already waiting, clamouring for their attention as they rushed towards them, the camera flashes blinding the two girls, and Lena lashed out at one of them, batting it aside as a man shoved it up in her pale face. She looked like she was going to be sick. Hector pushed the reporters back, and Maggie quickly opened the door, waiting for Kara to push Lena inside and crawl in after her. A moment later, bother bodyguards were in the front seats, and they were pulling out into traffic. The tension was thick inside the car as they sat in silence, and when Kara couldn’t take it anymore, she rolled up the partition, blocking the conversation from Maggie and Hector, and turned to look at Lena.

 

            “Why did you do that?”

 

            “What?” Lena asked, whipping her head up to look at Kara.

 

            “Push her. Why did you push her? You just made everything a _thousand_ times worse,” Kara said, running a hand over her weary face.

 

            Lena’s face hardened in the dim light flooding in through the windows as streetlights and blinking fluorescent signs flashed past them. “This is _my_ fault now? Kara, she just bloody _kissed_ me, without my permission. Was I just supposed to take it?”

 

            “No!” Kara exclaimed, “of course not! But you should’ve let Hector handle it! You should’ve … I don’t know, _not_ pushed her. Just think about the headlines tomorrow.” Kara let out a frustrated groan.

 

            “The headlines?” Lena snapped, “that’s what you’re concerned about? I can’t even go into a fucking _bar_ without being assaulted by some blonde bitch who thinks it’s _funny_ , and you think I give a shit about the headlines? You’re unbelievable.”

 

            “Of course I care about you first!” Kara protested, “but how is this going to help anything? The press don’t care that she assaulted you – they only care that there’s photos of you kissing someone who _isn’t_ me, and then pushed her.”

 

            Letting out a cold laugh, Lena gave Kara a hard look, “is that what this is about? Are you jealous, little Kara? You don’t like some other girl kissing me?”

 

            Spluttering, Kara crossed her arms over her chest and slid down in her seat as she tried to hide her blush. The jealousy was back, and she didn’t like it. “Don’t be absurd. Why would I be jealous? Like you said about me and Mon-El; you’re already mine. I just … it’s fine for us to kiss other people in private, but we can’t risk the damage to our reputation.”

 

            “Other people?” Lena snorted, “well, I didn’t think you had it in you.”

 

            “Wha- no! _I’m_ not,” Kara scrambled to assure her, feeling her cheeks turn even redder. Why would she want to kiss anyone else, when the only person she wanted to kiss was sitting two feet away from her? “I just- you once said that we could screw whoever we wanted on the side, so I just assumed that you, you know …”

 

            Lena was silent as she looked at Kara with an incredulous look on her face, her eyes narrowed slightly in disbelief. “You think that _I’m_ screwing people of the side? For fuck’s sake, Kara, could you think any lower of me? You think that I would risk the contract with something like that leaking? If I wanted to sleep with other people – and I have every right to, just by the way - I would’ve ended this a _long_ time ago. I wouldn’t risk messing everything up. And for the record, even though it’s none of your bloody business, I haven’t so much as _kissed_ anyone else since we’ve started this whole bloody  _thing_ , because I, believe it or not, take it seriously, you stupid cow. So _that’s_ why I pushed her. As you so kindly pointed out, I have more to lose than you do, and I’ve taken it more seriously than you thought, and I don’t take kindly to you making assumptions about what I get up to in my free time. If I want to be with someone else, then I’ll tell you straight to your face, because I’m not a liar. Now, is there something you want to tell me?”

 

            “I’m sorry,” Kara blurted out, feeling her pulse spike at Lena’s question, but feeling the need to apologise first, “and no, there’s … nothing to say. I’m not- there’s no one.”

 

            “Good.”

 

            They fell into silence for a few minutes, and then Kara turned to look at Lena, “are you okay?”

 

            Letting out a soft sigh, Lena leant her head back against the seat and closed her eyes. “Just … take me home.”


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> soon

            The next day, as expected, the news was full of the photo of Lena being kissed, and Lena pushing Eve, and Kara was embarrassed to say there were photos of her just _standing_ there, and she felt ashamed of herself for the way she’d reacted to Lena, all because she was jealous. She called Lena the next day, but she didn’t answer, or the day after that, or for the next week, and Kara was kicking herself. It should’ve made her feel better to get some distance – it was what she had wanted – but it made her feel worse to think that Lena was mad at her. It wasn’t until the start of December that she saw Lena again, because a few weeks ago she’d agreed to go to Sam’s daughter’s birthday party, and Kara felt her heart thudding in her chest as she touched down in Thorul. Alex and Sam had gotten along well, and so she’d been invited too, and as they drove towards Sam’s mom’s estate outside the city, she watched Kara closely.

 

            “Hey, it’ll be fine,” Alex said when she couldn’t stand Kara bouncing her leg up and down anymore. It was started to make _her_ feel tense.

 

            “I know,” Kara quickly agreed, before hesitating slightly, “but … what if she’s still mad?”

 

            Alex shrugged, “then she’s mad. You’re stuck with each other, what’s the worst that can happen? It’s not like she can _leave_.”

 

            “That isn’t helping,” Kara sighed, nervously smoothing down the leg of her pants, “she- well, you know what she’s like; she won’t trust me if I do something to lose that. And she … you _know_ how I feel. I don’t want to make her angry at me so she stays away, and I-I can’t keep faking it because it hurts too much. She’s so good at playing this game, and I forget that it _is_ a game sometimes, because the way she looks at me … I wish it _was_ real. I wish we could have that, and I don’t know what I’m doing. I’m out of my depth, Alex, I’m a terrible liar, you know this.”

 

            “Well then tell her the truth!” Alex exclaimed, as if it was the easiest thing in the world, “she might-“

 

            “She won’t,” Kara interrupted her, knowing what Alex was going to say. Lena wasn’t a liar; if she felt something for Kara, she would’ve told her, because that’s who she was as a person. More than once, Lena had told her that she wasn’t a liar, and Kara hated herself for lying to Lena, and she knew that Lena would hate her for it if she ever found out. “I can’t tell her, because I know she doesn’t feel … _this_. I wish _I_ didn’t feel it, and I know she _definitely_ won’t want to feel it, so I can’t just _tell_ her.”

 

            “Well … okay,” Alex readily agreed, “but, Kara, please … put your needs first, okay? I like her, I do, but you’re my sister, and I love you. So if it comes down to you being miserable and stuck, just … get out of the contract. If it’s about Lena losing everything too, then it’s fine, I’ll set her up with some of my inheritance – no, don’t argue – and you can both get what you want.”

 

            Kara nodded, settling back in her seat and staring out the window as she brooded in silence. It was snowing, with winter in full swing, and with Christmas fast approaching, she was almost regretting inviting Lena. The invitation had been extended before she’d realized her true feelings, and holidays were never a good time when tensions were running high, and _especially_ not when Kara was unable to enjoy it as much, because she couldn’t help but think about her parents. She had a bad feeling about Christmas. But for today, she could just pretend that everything was fine, because there was going to be a bunch of children around and their parents, and probably one or two professional photographers who would probably try and sell some cozy photos of the couple on the side. At least today they wouldn’t be allowed to fight.

 

            She felt a small prickle of fear as she neared Sam’s mom’s place, seeing the gates already parted, and the trees and lawn covered in a dusting of white, making it look look picturesque. She knew Sam was the adopted daughter of a Countess, so the sprawling mansion was exactly what she expected, but she still admired the beauty of the place as they drove up the driveway, trying to calm herself down before seeing Lena again. Kara didn’t know why she was so nervous, but she was, and she knew Alex was right; it didn’t matter how they felt, because they were both stuck anyway. The car came to a stop, and a young man stepped forward to open the door for them, and Kara stepped out into the snow, her hat and scarf in her gloved hands. Alex stepped out beside her, and they left a train of footprints through the snow as they made their way towards the door, climbing the front steps and watching as a man bowed and pushed the door open to let them inside.

 

            The butler led them to the rear of the house, completely decorated in pastel blue and white for the party, and Kara’s eyes crinkled at the corners as she saw Same. The butler announced them, and Sam walked towards them, dipping into a curtsy before Kara and smiling brightly. “Hey! Where’s the birthday girl?” Kara asked, her eyes darting around the room as she tried to pick out which one was Ruby – she hadn’t met her yet – and Sam turned to look at a dark haired girl laughing with her friends.

 

            “The one that looks like trouble,” Sam wryly replied, and Kara and Alex laughed. “How was the flight?”

 

            “Quick,” Kara shrugged, her eyes roaming the room for another dark haired girl, but coming up empty.

 

            Sam laid a gentle hand on Kara’s arm, leaning in and smiling slightly, “she’s not here yet. She messaged and said that there was a problem, probably with her mom, I would assume.”

 

            “Oh, right,” Kara said, giving her a bright smile, and feeling her heart sink a little. It had been too long since she’d seen Lena, even if it had only been a week, and Kara hated to admit it, but she _missed_ her. “I’m sure she’ll be here in a minute.”

 

            “Mm, well, she wouldn’t want to be late to her goddaughter’s birthday party,” Sam mused, and Kara blinked in surprise, “she didn’t tell you?”

 

            Kara let out a nervous laugh, shrugging slightly, “no, but then, Lena will hardly admit that she’s ever friends with you, so it’s not really surprising.”

 

            “That’s true enough,” Alex agreed, “not everyone is as open and _truthful_ as you are.” Shooting her sister a pointed look, Kara gave Sam a slightly tense smile. They moved further into the party, and Kara saw Gayle and Jack and made her way over to them so she had someone else to talk to except Alex and Sam. She would’ve gone to wish Ruby a happy birthday, but the girl was busy running outside with her friends to get some skates for the massive ice rink that had been set up out the back, so Kara thought she’d wait for Lena to get there, which was only a few moments later.

 

            Putting on a bright smile, Kara hurried over to her, and Lena smiled back, saying hello to Sam as she walked over to Kara. There was almost an awkward pause, and Kara turned her head slightly as she leant in for a kiss, opting for Lena’s cheek rather than her lips, telling herself that it was because it was a kid’s birthday party, and had nothing to do with the fact that she _desperately_ wanted to kiss Lena, but couldn’t bring herself to do it. Something about kissing Lena didn’t sit right with her anymore, and she knew it was because it would mean something else, but only to her, and it would be deceitful for her to kiss Lena, knowing that it wasn’t innocent, while keeping the other girl in the dark. “Hi,” Kara murmured, pulling back and taking hold of Lena’s hand as she smiled slightly.

 

            Lena gave her the barest hint of a smile, before stiffly replying, “hi.”

 

            Kara felt her stomach drop, because she realized that a part of her was hoping that Lena wouldn’t be upset with her, but she should’ve known better than that. “Um, so I was wondering if we could, uh, if we could talk … maybe.”

 

            “ _Talk?”_ Lena snorted, “at my goddaughter’s _birthday party_. You think that now’s the right time to do it?”

 

            “Thanks for telling me that, by the way,” Kara said, trying to keep her face blank, even though her tone was disgruntled. She could see the sneaking glances in their direction and she didn’t want to misstep. “Sounds like something I should’ve know about _before_ getting here.”

 

            “It wasn’t relevant,” Lena shrugged, giving Kara a tight smile, “besides, it’s not like you know _anything_ about me.”

 

            “Oh come _on_ , Lena, I know you’re mad at me,” Kara muttered in frustration, “and you have every right to be, but I thought you _weren’t_ a liar.”

 

            “I’m not,” Lena stiffly replied.

 

            “Lena!” Sam said as she approached, her smile faltering as she took in the tension between the two royals, “oh, I hope I wasn’t interrupting.”

 

            Giving her friend a warm smile, Lena shook her head, “she’s just worried about my mother sticking her bloody nose in where it doesn’t belong, isn’t that right, love?”

 

            Kara gave her a loving smile – which was surprisingly hard to muster with the growing frustration inside her – and reached out to brush some snow that hadn’t had the chance to melt yet off Lena’s shoulder. “I’m always worried about you,” Kara said, letting out a small exasperated sigh and grimacing at Sam, who let out a small laugh.

 

            “Is Ruby outside?” Lena asked, raising her eyebrows expectantly.

 

            “Mhm, and you’re in for it today. She’s pissed that you missed the ballet last week so she’s expecting a lot of skating off you today,” Sam laughed.

 

            “Yeah, well, she’s bloody stubborn, I’ll give her that. And don’t worry; I bought her the theatre where they performed, so she can watch them whenever she wants to,” Lena said, smiling slightly and entwining her fingers with Kara’s without looking at her. The three of them made their way towards the back doors, with Lena giving Gayle, Jack and Alex a quick wave, as they passed by the room full of guests staying out of the cold. Stepping back out into the cold, Kara shivered slightly, but her face lit up at the winter wonderland in the backyard. It was all cold ice and snow and pale blue, and she felt like a little kid again, and doubled her speed as she pulled Lena towards the rink.

 

            She jamming her hat onto her head, and wrapping her scarf around her neck when Ruby skidded to a stop at the edge of the rink, smiling excitedly. “Aunt Lena, you made it!”

 

            “Sure did, kid,” Lena said, giving her a bright smile. Kara watched as Ruby awkwardly stepped onto the snow packed grass with her skates on and half-tripped as she moved towards Lena, almost bowling her over as she threw her arms around her waist. Lena let out a quick laugh, patting the girl on the back, before gently drawing her back. Kara watched the whole thing with interest; she’d never seen Lena around kids before, and she was surprised that she wasn’t cool and removed, because Lena didn’t seem like the kind of person to go out of her way to be nice to kids. Kara realized that she genuinely cared about Ruby, and she was confused, because Lena had said that she didn’t like kids, and she’d told Kara that she wouldn’t be the one to raise their own when they had them. At the remembrance of the fact that the contract had terms for children, Kara felt her throat close up, until she felt like she couldn’t breathe, even though her breathing was as even as ever. She couldn’t have kids with Lena – she could barely even _look_ at her, how was she supposed to spent decades pretending to be in love, and raising a _family_ in that kind of environment?

 

            “Your Majesty!” Ruby exclaimed in wonder, awkwardly curtsying to Kara as she tried to keep her balance on her skates.

 

            Smiling warmly at her, Kara gave her a small wave, “happy birthday. Thanks for inviting me to your party, it’s pretty cool, huh? I love ice skating.”

 

            “You’re going to ice skate with us?” Ruby asked, her eyes widening slightly in amazement as she looked up at Kara.

 

            “Of course!” Kara enthusiastically agreed, “I’ve been waiting for this all week, but first, I have a gift for you, if you want to come and check it out.” Ruby was immediately untying her skates and slipping on a pair of boots, and Sam laughed as Ruby grabbed her and Lena’s hands and started towing them towards the house.

 

            Sam shook her head, trying to calm her daughter down, “Rubes, it’s not this way. Kara had it specially delivered because it was too big for inside the house.” She shot Kara a quick look of amusement and Kara smiled excitedly, glancing at Lena, who was almost smiling. Together they walked around the ice rink, stopping to greet guests who loitered around drinking hot chocolate from one of the barista bars under the large tents, and Kara could smell warm donuts somewhere, and made a mental note to come back for some.

 

            It only took a few minutes to reach the stables, and Ruby let out an excited squeal at the sight of the sight of the white horse being held by the reins as a groom stood outside in the cold, looking bored and frostbitten. Ruby gushed over the horse and begged Sam to let her ride it, but her mom reminded her that her friends were waiting for her, and after profusely thanking Kara, she darted back towards the house, leaving the adults to trail after her at a slower pace.

 

            “Oh to be ten and excited over horses,” Sam sighed, smiling as she watched her daughter’s retreating figure.

 

            “Mm, I can’t remember the last time I was excited over anything,” Lena grumbled.

 

            “Two weeks ago,” Kara said, “you wanted that new book that you said was being released, so I got Lyra to pick it up for you. You seemed pretty excited to read it.”

 

            Lena was silence for a moment, and Sam laughed. “Hm, well, I suppose you’re right.”

 

            They were silent the rest of the way there, and as they approached the rink, Kara and Lena traded in their shoes for some skates and took to the ice. As Kara got her bearings, she noticed that Maggie was standing at the edge of the rink, her eyes staring intently at Kara, and beside her was Alex, rapidly talking to her while she nursed a hot chocolate in her hands. Maggie might not have looked like she was paying attention, but Kara could see it in the way that she leant slightly towards Alex – she cared about her. Feeling frustrated, Kara turned away from her sister and took off skating, leaving Lena to follow after at a slower pace as she tried to keep her balance. She had already completed a lap and was catching up to Lena again and decided to slow down and skate with her, having vented a little through pushing herself to glide over the ice as fast as she could.

 

            “Oh good, you’ve decided to be a good girlfriend after buggering off and leaving me to skate by myself like a fucking pleb,” Lena icily replied as Kara fell into a gentle pace beside her, and she bit back the retort on the tip of her tongue, knowing that today was not the day to piss off Lena. She was already on thin ice with her – literally and figuratively – and Kara didn’t want to make things _worse_. “Let me guess, figure skating lessons?”

 

            “Four years,” Kara replied, and Lena rolled her eyes, reaching out for Kara’s hand. Hesitating for a moment, Kara looked up at Lena, who was frowning at her as she waited for Kara to take her hand, and there was confusion in her eyes when Kara didn’t. Pulling herself together, Kara took the hand, but she was too busy looked at Lena’s face, and feeling the sharp pain in her chest, that her smooth skating faltered as she hit a chip in the ice and went sprawling.

 

            The sound of Lena’s laughter reached her ears, and Kara felt her whole face flame bright red, which was even noticeable past her rosy cheeks from the cold, and she looked over her shoulder to watch as Lena glided towards her, her hands on her knees as she bent in half in laughter. Her laughter was too soon though, because she tripped over her own feet and fell right on top of Kara, pushing her back down onto the ice. The frozen rink was cold against Kara’s cheek, and she struggled to flip onto her back, trying to push Lena up with her at the same time. They both stared at each other in embarrassment for a few moments and then burst into laughter, and Kara got her feet under herself and helped pull Lena to her feet, both of them wobbling slightly as they fought to keep their balance. Reaching out, Lena brushed a gloved hand across Kara’s cheek, wiping away some flecks of ice, and gave her a grim smile. “That’ll teach me for being too smug.”

 

\---

 

            She was at Lena’s estate, staring out of the guest bedroom window and watching a light smattering of snow settle down on the already wintery landscape. Everything was stark white and grey outside, but she could see the darkening of the sky as the hidden sun started to descend. It had been a long day, but she’d enjoyed herself at Ruby’s birthday party, and even Lena had been less snarky and aloof than Kara had been anticipating, although she hadn’t seen her since they’d come back to her place, and she doubted she would for the rest of the day. She spoke too soon though, because there was a knock on the door, and Lena poked her head in before Kara could even reply, wearing her beanie, coat and scarf again. “Dress warmly,” was all she said, before pulling her head back out of the room and leaving the door slightly ajar.

 

            Scrambling for her clothes, Kara was dressed in a few minutes, and walked out into the hallway, giving Lena a hesitant smile, which wasn’t returned. Turning around, Lena stalked off through the house, with Kara scrambling after her, and Kara was surprised to see them go into Lena’s bedroom, leaving Hector standing guard outside the door with Maggie. She didn’t want to ask any questions, but when she saw Lena walk over to the window, she had to bite back a small groan. They were at the top of the building, which meant that Lena’s window looked out over the sprawling fields and countryside, and was slightly angled with a wrought iron railing enclosing it. Just outside, there was enough room for two people to sit close together, and Lena climbed through, picking up the waiting blanket and the silver thermos, before looking over her shoulder and giving Kara an expectant look. “Well?”

 

            Kara almost wanted to say no and leave, because she couldn’t sit in a small gap like that with Lena and not feel awkward, but she knew that she had to pretend like everything was okay, because it would just create more problems for them if she started acting strange. Besides, she was the one who had wanted to talk, and this was clearly Lena’s attempt at them having a few minutes alone to speak in private, and it was more than Kara had anticipated. Drawing in a shaky breath, she walked over to the window and climbed through, sitting down beside Lena and knocking their knees together as she got comfortable. Lena caringly arranged the blanket around Kara’s shoulders, holding her end tightly and leaving Kara to do the same with the other end, and they both sat huddled shoulder to shoulder, knee to knee, staring out at the view as their breath came out in white puffs before them.

 

            “So,” Lena started, turning her head slightly in Kara’s direction, even though she kept her sharp gaze on the horizon.

 

            “I wanted to say I was sorry,” Kara blurted out.

 

            Lena let out a quiet laugh, her shoulders shaking slightly, which Kara thought could be attributed to the cold anyway. “You already apologized.”

 

            “Not well enough,” Kara told her, before letting out a shaky breath. “I shouldn’t have blamed you to begin with, and I’m sorry that I did. I’m ashamed of myself for doing it, and I know why I did it … I was- I was jealous. You were right, and I was jealous, because in any other life we wouldn’t have had to deal with that. I mean … you might’ve, but your face wouldn’t have been all over the papers the next morning, and no one would’ve cared if you pushed her. But this is our life, and I don’t like that my first priority was about what the public would say, rather than if you were okay. I did care though – I do – and I’m sorry if I made you feel like you didn’t matter, or like it was your fault. I’m sorry.”

 

            “So that’s how you do an apology, huh?” Lena replied after a few moments of silence. Kara let out a nervous laugh and turned to look at Lena, who was staring down at the thermos sat in front of her. “I guess mine need a lot more work to be that good.”

 

            “You rarely apologise anyway,” Kara said, letting out a quick laugh, “you said you’re always right, or you don’t care.”

 

            Lena smiled, and Kara saw her cheek dimple as she took in the side of Lena’s face, feeling her heart skip a beat as she looked at the sharpness of her cheekbones, and the jawline that she so desperately wanted to kiss along. She hated herself for pining over Lena, but she just couldn’t help herself, and so she quickly looked straight ahead, just making out the shadowy figures of a few birds flit across the sky. “I care what you think,” Lena quietly admitted.

 

            She quickly reached out and picked up the thermos, hiding her embarrassment at sharing such a trivial thing that exposed some of the tenderness beneath Lena’s cold exterior. Unscrewing the cap, she poured out a stream of hot chocolate and handed it to Kara, who gave her a small smile and murmured her thanks. After that, they sat in mostly silence, sharing the hot chocolate until it was gone, and taking comfort in the warmth of each other as they sat huddled underneath the blanket. It wasn’t until it was completely dark that they climbed back in through the window and made their way down to the dining room for dinner. Things had gone a lot smoother than she had anticipated, and maybe it was the sincerity of her apology, or the fact that Lena hadn’t been as closed off as she was expecting, due to it being her goddaughter's birthday, but Kara was grateful that they had been spared another argument. She was tired of the bickering; she just wanted Lena to know how she felt, and she wanted more moments like the quiet peacefulness of sitting on a rooftop next to someone you love. Kara wished that it was that simple all the time, but more than anything, she wished that she knew how it felt to be Lena’s. This lie wasn’t enough for her anymore; she wanted _real_.


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oop

            Kara was in one of the sitting rooms in the palace, sitting next to the fire while she sketched the view outside the window. It was Christmas Eve, and the whole palace smelt like pine and cinnamon and Kara was brimming with excitement, even if she was a little nervous and subdued because of Lena and her family. She had Alex though, and Eliza and Astra, and together, the four of them made one of the most unlikely Christmas parties, but there would be love and happiness at least, and that was something. Tomorrow would be even better though, with Kara’s friends, and some of Lena’s coming to join them for Christmas dinner, and that was more than enough to make Kara get into the Christmas spirit. For the first time in a long while, the palace was decked out in trees and mistletoe, and the most beautiful statues and baubles imported from all around the word, and Kara had even ordered lights to be put up, and at night, the whole palace shone like a beacon of light in the middle of the city. There were hundreds of people outside the gates night and day since the lavish decorations had been put up, and Kara loved to stand in the windows and watch them come and go, taking some joy in the fact that everyone else was happy at least.

 

            “I found the peppermint schnapps!” Alex breathlessly exclaimed as she walked into the room with the bottle clutched in her hands, “and I found someone too.”

 

            “Pour me a glass of that, would you,” Lena said to Alex as she breezed past her and collapsed onto the sofa in front of the fire. She glanced at Kara and her eyebrows shot up, “what the bloody hell are you _wearing_?”

 

            Kara snapped her sketchbook shut and felt her face turn as red as the sweater she was wearing. It had a reindeer’s face on the front, and a red pom pom for the nose, and Kara self-consciously crossed her arms over her chest as she looked down at it. “It’s a Christmas sweater – we all wear them every year – and the schnapps is for hot chocolate. Another tradition.”

 

            “Oh bollocks, you’re one of _those_ families,” Lena grumbled, “let me guess, you make cookies? What about watching a film?”

 

            Alex laughed, getting three glasses from the liquor cabinet on the fire side of the room and adding a splash of the liquor to each glass, before juggling them as she walked over to the fire. She handed one to Kara, and then nudged Lena, who shift upright, accepting the glass and moving her legs so Alex could sit down beside her. “Yes to the cookies - gingerbread ones - and Kara will probably make us watch Elf because she does every _single_ year and seems to find it as exciting as ever.”

 

            Lena let out a loud groan, and threw her head back against the sofa, “I should’ve stayed home and wound my mother up, it sounds less torturous.”

 

            Letting out a snort of laughter, Kara gave her a small smile, “you don’t mean that.”

 

            “No, I don’t,” Lena sighed.

 

            “Oo, that reminds me!” Kara said, jumping to her feet and draining her glass. She put it down on the coffee table and beckoned for Lena to climb to her feet, but Lena groaned again, burrowing down against the pillows and pursing her lips slightly as she looked at Kara.

 

            “I’m comfortable.”

 

            Huffing, Kara gave her an exasperated look and starting walking away, “fine, wait here and I’ll be back in a minute.”

 

            She darted upstairs and rifled through her closet for a hidden wrapped present, and held it under her arm as she walked back out of the room. Maggie was waiting outside, wearing the same Christmas sweater that she’d worn every year since becoming Kara’s bodyguard and Kara had insisted on her wearing one – black with a tiny snowman over the left breast – and Kara gave her a bright smile. Hurrying back downstairs, she found them both exactly where she’d left them, and tossed the gift into Lena’s lap as she passed her on her way back to the armchair. In a moment of panic, Kara realized that she’d left her sketchbook out, and she knew that neither of them would’ve peeked, but just the thought of it had her heart racing, because this one … it was full of Lena, more so than the other ones, and would be a thousand times worse than Lena seeing the few that occupied previous ones. Over the past few months, the ratio of Lena to other landscapes and object grew, until she was all Kara could sketch, even if she wasn’t there. She knew every feature off by heart, after months of observations, and she knew just how her lip would curl up into a smile, and how she got that crease between her eyebrows when she frowned, and the dimple in her cheek that Kara wanted to kiss whenever it appeared. Knowing how she looked was the easy part though, and Kara wanted to know what was happening inside; she wanted to know how Lena felt, mostly about her, but also about all of the other things she kept so guarded and close to her heart.

 

            “Are you having a bloody laugh?” Lena exclaimed, holding up the green sweater with the large snowman on the front, and Alex burst out laughing as she looked at it, reaching out to poke the little orange nose the jutted out from the sweater. A mortified look appeared on Lena’s face, and she looked at Kara with wide eyes. “You _cannot_ expect me to wear this.”

 

            “Come on, Lena, it’s just a bit of fun,” Kara pleaded.

 

            “This isn’t what _fun_ looks like,” Lena spluttered, “it’s got a bloody carrot nose! This is something forty-year-old single women wear, this- this is Bridget Jones’ Diary level of sad. We might not have a conventional relationship, but I’m hardly at spinster level yet.”

 

            Alex had her lips pressed together to stop herself from laughing, and Kara was giving Lena a wounded look, “but it’s Christmas.”

 

            “Yeah, well, this isn’t what Christmas is about, not that I care much for the whole religious aspect anyway. Besides, Jesus was born in the spring, so this whole holiday is redundant and a selfish way to get gifts and have family arguments that just ruin the holidays anyway, so thank you for the sweater, but I’m not wearing it.”

 

            Kara blinked in surprise, feeling a lump form in her throat as she settled back in her seat. Alex’s eyebrows were halfway to her hairline as she looked shocked at Lena’s outburst, and she opened and closed her mouth a few times, looking at Kara to see whether her sister wanted her to interfere. Frowning slightly, Kara pouted, and watched as Lena drained her glass and climbed to her feet, putting it down on the coffee table beside Kara’s and screwing up the wrapping paper. “I think I’ll go and unpack.”

 

            It was a lame excuse, and they all knew it – Jess would be the one doing the unpacking – but Kara watched as Lena took the sweater with her, and felt a prickle of anger. She turned to Alex, who was watching her closely, and she held her hand out, “can I have your glass please?” Sliding the glass towards her, Alex watched as Kara drained the schnapps and got to her feet, taking a deep breath and giving her sister a grim smile. “If we’re both not down for dinner, assume that one of us has killed each other.”

 

            “Well, I’d prefer to think that than you two kissing and making up all alone up there,” Alex said, her eyes widening slightly as she looked at Kara, who almost looked like she was hoping for a fight. “Just … don’t fight, Kara, please. It’ Christmas, and she obviously feels like this for a reason, and she _just_ told you that she thinks families argue at Christmas. She’s probably never _had_ a proper one before – family _or_ Christmas.”

 

            “I know,” Kara said, feeling frustrated, “I just want to have _fun_. I just- I want a couple of says where we can be _happy_ , and not the fake kind like we have to do for the cameras. I want a real Christmas.”

 

            “I know you do,” Alex murmured.

 

            Kara nodded and walked past her, and when she reached the door, she paused, looking at Maggie. “Take the rest of the day off,” she told her, and Maggie hesitated, before nodding.

 

            Feet pounding on the carpeted stairs as she hurried after Lena, Kara tried to calm herself down, feeling the impending doom of the following conversation. Alex was right, and she was frustrated, but that didn’t mean she should take it out on Kara, and she knew that Lena was frustrated too, but that didn’t mean that she should take it out on Kara. Holidays were always stressful, but there was something about Christmas that always made things worse, and Kara always struggled to balance her grief and joy during this time of the year. No matter how much of a mother Eliza was to her, she could never stop herself from feeling the sharp pain of losing her parents and being distant from the rest, and so it had become a thing to try and make the holidays as exciting as possible to take her mind off things. She’d wanted to do the same for Lena this year, but it looked like her plans were already going south before they’d even managed to get it together. She slowed as she walked down the hallway that Lena was staying in, and as she approached the white wooden door, Kara paused, before taking another deep breath and raising her hand to knock.

 

            “Come in.”

 

            Kara reached out for the door handle and pushed it open, hesitantly poking her head inside and looking through the open bedroom door to where Lena was sitting, she met the other girl’s gaze, taking in the perplexed expression on her face. “I thought we should talk about this before it … escalates.”

 

            “What is there to say, Kara? I don’t want to wear your poxy Christmas sweater,” Lena said, grimacing as she looked down at the sweater, which she was holding in her lap.

 

            Sighing, Kara walked inside, shutting the door before crossing the living room and slipping into the bedroom. Pausing for a moment, she gently sat down on the bed next to Lena, and put her hands on her thighs, nervously running them up and down her legs as she tried to find the right words. Eventually, she looked up at Lena, who was still staring at the sweater in her lap, and smiled slightly to herself. “It’s not really about the sweater though.”

 

            “No?” Lena snorted, “well, seeing as you know everything, why don’t you tell me what it’s about.”

 

            “God, Lena, it’s about your family, and you _know_ it is. Everything you said downstairs is about them – it’s _always_ about them – but I’m your family now, and I will be for the rest of our lives, because at this point I very much doubt Lucy or Alana will find anything. So I don’t want us to always be as odds with things, and I would like us to be able to have a nice time sometimes, even with this whole … _thing_. I-It doesn’t have to be all bad, and we’ve been getting better, haven’t we?”

 

            Lena let out a cool laugh, “getting better doesn’t mean that it’s good. This whole thing … it’s not going to get better. It’s going to crash and burn, no matter what we do, and we should just resign ourselves to the fact that no matter how much we pretend, this isn’t real.” She sounded bitter, and Kara felt her eyes prickle with the threat of tears. It wasn’t real, and she was right, but it didn’t make her words any less harsh. “And I don’t want fake, I want _real_. There’s nothing I hate more than what I can’t have,” Lena said, a pained look on her face as she pressed her lips together and hunched her shoulders slightly, “I thought this would make it easier, but it doesn’t, and it just reminds me of everything that was taken away from me.”

 

            “You sound like you’ve met someone else,” Kara blurted out, her mouth feeling dry as a feeling of fear took hold in her heart. She knew that if Lena loved someone else, she couldn’t stay. She would have to break the contract, not matter the consequences, and she’d take Alex up on her offer, because of course her sister would help her. Lena wouldn’t like it much – or maybe she would if they other person was worth it – but Kara couldn’t stay with her in this, knowing that she loved Lena and Lena loved someone else. If it came down to it, she’d break it and she’d figure something out for Lena, so she wouldn’t be left penniless and untitled.

 

            The pause seemed to stretch on for far longer than it actually was, and Kara held her breath as she waited for Lena’s reply. Finally, she parted her lips and let out a shaky breath, before looking up at Kara and giving her a tight smile. There was pain in her eyes, and it hurt Kara’s heart to see it there. “No, there’s no one else. There can’t be even if there was.”

 

            “Oh … okay,” Kara murmured, before climbing to her feet, “I, uh, I’ll leave you to … unpack.”

 

            “Didn’t you want to talk?” Lena asked, giving her a slight smile.

 

            “It doesn’t matter,” Kara said, her voice sounding strained even to her own ears. Not waiting for Lena to reply, she turned around and briskly walked out of the room, and then out into the corridor, closing the door behind her. She leant against the wall next to it and closed her eyes for a few moments, almost jumping out of her skin when the door flew open and Lena strode out. They both froze, looking startled at the appearance of the other, and then Kara let out a loud laugh as she stared at the snowman.

 

            Lena scowled at Kara, crossing her arms over her chest and flushing with embarrassment. “Just don’t bloody mention it.”

 

            Biting back a smile, Kara nodded and pulled at the sleeve of Lena’s sweater, dragging her after her as they walked down the hallway. As they made it downstairs and started walking through the foyer, Eliza appeared at the mouth of the hallway in the west wing of the palace, and Kara’s face lit up. “Eliza!”

 

            “Hi sweetheart,” she replied, opening her arms up for Kara as she bounded over to hug her adoptive mother. Squeezing her tightly, Kara laughed and pulled back, smiling brightly at her.

 

            “You’re early!” Kara said, taking Eliza by the hand and dragging her towards the sitting room that Alex was it. “Alex is this way! We already have the peppermint schnapps sorted. Did you bring your sweater?”

 

            Eliza laughed, glancing over at Lena and smiling at the sweater. “Your Highness, it’s lovely to see you again,” Eliza smiled at Lena, who replied similarly, before she turned back to Kara. “It’s under my coat, honey.”

 

            Smiling brightly, Kara led them back to Alex, and as she walked into the room, she paused. Maggie was perched on the edge of one of the sofas, smiling at Alex, and both of them looked up at the intrusion, with Maggie shooting to her feet as if she’d been caught doing something wrong. “Sit down, Sawyer,” Kara said, giving her a smile, “it’s the holidays, have a drink.”

 

            “Your Majesty,” Maggie said, dipping her head, “I should return to my post.”

 

            “I gave you the night off,” Kara reminded her, “so sit, unless you have someone better to be.” Maggie obediently sat down next to Alex, looking nervous at the four titled women who took seats around her, and Kara smiled slightly. “Right, well, time for more schnapps.”

 

\---

 

            They spent the rest of the day drinking peppermint hot chocolate, baking gingerbread cookies, and they even made their own dinner together because it was another tradition to dismiss all of the staff, except a few security members, and then they all watched movies in the living room, until it was time for bed. It had been perfectly relaxing and as happy as Kara had hoped for, with the fire roaring in the sitting room, and the kitchen smelling like frosting and peppermint. Everyone got along well, with no snarky comments from Lena, and no broodiness from Kara, and she felt more relaxed than she had in a long time. There was only them in the house, so her and Lena didn’t have to pretend at _all_. Alex was happier too, even though she tried to contain it, but Kara saw it in her eyes when she looked at Maggie, and she was glad she’d made the spur of the moment decision to ask her to stay. When Eliza had said she was going to bed, and told them not to be too late, Kara had given her a hug and let her kiss her on the cheek, and soon enough everyone else had followed suit.

 

            She’d gone up first, disappearing into her room to change into pyjamas, and then had knocked on Lena’s door and slipped inside at the invitation. Lena was just pulling back the covers of her own bed, and Kara walked into the bedroom, leaning against the doorframe as she watched the way that Lena’s hair fell around her shoulders, and the gentle way that Lena brushed it back. “I just wanted to say thank you,” Kara said, when she realized she was staring instead of saying anything, “for today. I had a good time – better than I thought actually – and I hope it wasn’t too hard for you.”

 

            “Is this what Christmas Eve is always like for you?” Lena asked, sitting down on the bed and covering her legs with the blanket.

 

            Blowing all the air out of her lungs, Kara ran a hand through her hair as she pushed off the doorframe and walked over to the bed. The mattress jostled slightly as she sat down, and she gave Lena a small smile. “No, it was different before my parents died. We’d come to Argo City, and me and my cousin, Kal, we’d be dragged to every sort of official business on Christmas Day. I would be spoilt rotten, and my parents used to have Santa come to the palace, with live reindeer too. I didn’t realize he wasn’t real then, and I used to love it.”

 

            “Weren’t you thirteen when your parents died?” Lena asked, looking slightly amused.

 

            “Well I _obviously_ knew before I was thirteen,” Kara said, rolling her eyes, “my grandfather hated decorations though, and so we would never have a tree, or stockings or anything like that, just a room filled with presents the next morning. Christmas … it was more of a political thing, and it lasted that one day, but I used to love it. It was the only time my family was all together, and we’d have the most amazing food, and my Aunt Astra would come to town for it too, and I just remember being so happy. And then … they died, and I went to live with Eliza, and it was _so_ different. Jeremiah would build snowmen with me and Alex as soon as there was enough of it, and we’d go sledding down the hills in the countryside, and make snow angels. Eliza would make cookies with us, and was the one who brought in the sweaters and movies and all of the traditional things. We’d go and buy the biggest tree, and the four of us would decorate it together. On Christmas Day Alex would wake me up as some ungodly hour, and we’d open all of the presents before church, and then we’d come home and cook together – I always get stuck with peeling potatoes because I’m useless at cooking – and then we’d have dinner together, just the four of us. Of course, they had to bring me to Argo City to see the rest of my family, but it just wasn’t the same here without my parents, and it wasn’t like I saw them that often to begin with. But yeah … Christmas has always been a happy time for me, either because I was with my parents or because it felt like Christmas. I wish I got to have both together though, you know? I’m just really grateful for Eliza though, and Jeremiah, and they always made me feel like I was a part of the family, but I guess I just really felt it around Christmas time. I wanted- I wanted _you_ to feel that too.”

 

            Lena had watched her intently as she spoke, with a soft look on her face and a slight smile playing on her lips, which grew slightly as Kara finished. “Thank you. I, uh, I never had any of that. Well, I got spoilt, and the politics, but none of the other stuff. Christmas was fighting and yelling, and mom and dad at work, and some years I wouldn’t even be allowed home for the holidays. They never made me believe in Santa – they didn’t have the time – and I never made snowmen or baked cookies. I don’t think I’ve ever done _any_ of those things.”

 

            “We’ll do them all,” Kara assured her, bumping Lena’s leg with her own and eliciting a smile.

 

            “What, you’re going to make me believe in Santa?” Lena asked as she laughed, and Kara rolled her eyes.

 

            “Hmm, well maybe I might,” Kara quietly laughed, her heart feeling lighter as Lena joined in. She seemed a little less closed off as she sat in bed, and Kara suspected that maybe a part of it was from being with a family today, because Lena had never had that before, and she saw the way that her eyes lit up when Eliza told her that she made great gingerbread, or when Alex let slip that she’d bought Lena a book. She had been included, and Kara had watched her all day, smiling when she saw Lena smiling, and she realized that all she wanted was to have someone to care about her, and Kara had given her that today. It left her feeling warm inside, and as she climbed off the bed, she gave Lena a tender smile. “I’m going to go and say goodnight to Alex,” Kara told her, “goodnight, I’ll see you in the morning, bright and early.”

 

            Lena let out a quick laugh, “goodnight, Kara.”

 

            Kara shut the bedroom door behind her and walked through the living room and back out into the hallway. Alex’s room at the palace was only a few doors down and on the opposite side of the hall, and she quickly walked over to it and pushed the door open, walking inside with a smile on her face. “Hey, I- holy shit!”

 

            She blanched as she watched Alex bolt upright and push Maggie off her lap, scrambling for the blanket draped over the back of the sofa and wrapping it around herself as she stared at Kara with a look of horror on her face. Opening and closing her mouth as she stared at the scene before in her in shock, Kara felt her face turn red. “Goodnight,” she squeaked, before turning around and all but running out of the room, slamming the door shut behind her and falling back against it.

 

            To her mortification, Lena was hovering in the doorway to her room with a wide grin on her face, and Kara felt her face turn hotter as she met Lena’s amused gaze. “You knew she was in there!”

 

            “Yeah, I saw your sister pull her in,” Lena laughed, “I bet that was more than you bargained for. Merry Christmas to you, your sister is screwing your bodyguard. That sounds fun.”

 

            Kara let out a sound that was somewhere between a groan and surprise, and covered her face with her hands, “you’re an asshole.”

 

            “Goodnight, Kara,” Lena quietly laughed, raising her eyebrows before slipping back into her room and leaving Kara feeling flustered as she stood in the hallway, unsure how to unsee what she’d just walked in on. Christmas morning was about to get a lot more awkward.

 

\---

 

            “Merry Christmas!”

 

            Kara shot upright at the yell and the loud popping noise, scrambling for her glasses as her heart went wild in her chest. Lena was standing at the end of her bed, looking ghostly in the dim room and holding two halves of a Christmas cracker in her hands as she smirked at Kara.

 

            “What time is it?” Kara groaned, flopping down on the her pillows and burying her face in them.

 

            “Five o’clock.”

 

            “Go away,” Kara said, her voice muffled by the pillow, and she heard Lena laugh. Grumbling, she rolled over onto her back, yawning widely and stretching her arms out, “is this payback for your birthday.”

 

            Lena scoffed, putting a hand over her heart as she mocked offence, “would I do something that petty?”

 

            “Yes.”

 

            “So why did you bother asking,” Lena laughed, “come on, you silly mare, there’s hot chocolate and presents waiting for you. Not to sound too cocky, but I think you’ll like what I bought you.”

 

            Kara pushed the covers off and swung he legs over the side of the bed, climbing to her feet and blearily looking at Lena. Shuffling towards her closet, she pulled on a fluffy pink robe and some duck slippers, ignoring the snort of laughter off Lena, and walking towards the door. “Should- should I wake up Alex?”

 

            “I mean probably, but you’re too scared to walk in there aren’t you?” Lena asked, and Kara nodded. Smiling, she rolled her eyes, “would you like me to go in there and see if your sister is naked with your bodyguard?”

 

            “Please stop referring to them like that,” Kara groaned, wrinkling her nose, “but yes, that would be wonderful, thank you.”

 

            Shaking her head as she laughed, Lena opened the door to Alex’s rooms and Kara waited outside, listening to the quiet knock on the bedroom door. A moment later, Lena was back and beckoning Kara to come inside, and she ran in to jump on Alex, happy to have the upper hand this year; it had used to be a competition to see who could get up earlier and wake the other up first, until Eliza had made them stop when Alex had woken the whole house up at two o’clock one year when she was seventeen.

 

            They woke up Eliza, and the four of them went down to the vast kitchens first, rummaging around in the cupboards and spending twenty minutes trying to figure out how the coffee machine worked, before Alex went and dragged Maggie out of bed to enlist her help. Despite the slightly disgruntled look from being woken up so early, she seemed amused at the fact that the four of them couldn’t figure out how to use something as simple as a coffee machine, and there was no look of awkwardness on her face as she looked at Kara, who quickly looked away. She couldn’t look at Alex or Maggie without flushing red with embarrassment. Despite that, they all sat down in the kitchen, sipping coffee and eating toast – they weren’t exactly great chefs – and then Eliza made all of them, including Maggie, hot chocolate to carry upstairs as they opened their gifts.

 

            There was a huge stack of presents beneath the tree in the main sitting room, and Alex excitedly began handing them out to the recipient on the gift tag. Maggie hovered nearby, sipping her hot chocolate as she lurked off to the side in her pyjamas, watching the gifts being handed out. Kara bought her a few gifts every year for her birthday and Christmas, and she knew that Alex would’ve bought her one this year, because things between them had been growing more than she had even thought. To her surprise, Lena threw one at Maggie, taking her by surprise as she tried not to spill her hot chocolate everywhere. Lena gave her a slight smile, “thanks for putting up with all of my antics, I know the two of us haven’t made your job easy.”

 

            “Thank you, Your Highness,” Maggie said, giving Lena a confused look, even as she smiled. Everyone else seemed surprised by the gesture too, especially Kara after Lena’s rant about how Christmas was a selfish holiday to receive gifts, but she knew that Lena was a lot softer beneath her cool exterior.

 

            Passing out the rest of the gifts, they all unwrapped them and thanked each other with each one added to their pile. Off Lena, she’d received a diamond necklace, an expensive handbag, private flying lessons for one, a few first edition books, and tickets to the ballet in Russia for next year. She’d given Lena a pair of diamond earrings, a motorbike, which she knew Lena had really wanted, a few first edition books for her too, and a bee farm, which excited her more than Kara had thought it might. She had another gift too, but she wanted to give that one to Lena in private, more out of her own shyness than anything else, but it would have to wait until later. Right now, they had to get ready for church, which Lena had grudgingly agreed to accompany them to, and then Kara was required to give a public statement at the front of the palace, before all of their friends would be joining them for dinner.

 

\---

 

            The service had finished, and Lena was making some comment about how boring it had been as they walked outside in a group. There was a large crowd outside, and dozens of cops held them at bay. Alex followed after Eliza, heading straight for one of the waiting cars, but Kara steered Lena over to one of the barricades and started to greet people, wishing them a merry Christmas and smiling as some of them snapped photos of her. Lena hung back, smiling politely and letting people snap pictures of her as she waved. They didn't liner long, and after a few minutes, Kara turned around smiling at Lena, and as she took a step forward, she felt a searing pain on her arm. The next thing she knew, she was on the ground, with Maggie’s dead weight on top of her, pinning her to the ground as she protected Kara. Her arm was stinging, and Kara was disoriented as she stood there, and the only thing she could see was Lena’s pale face, frozen in horror as she stood two feet away, staring at Kara. A feeling of panic welled up inside her, and she shoved Maggie off of her, rolling over and onto her feet, and diving for Lena, bringing her down to the ground with her and shielding her as much as she could. It was chaos, and the sound of screams and shouts filled Kara’s ears, almost blocking out the loud pounding of her heart in her ears as she buried her face in Lena’s shoulder and hunched over her protectively. It was only a moment until Hector was dragging Lena to her feet, and Kara was forced to let go.

 

            “Kara!” she shouted, one hand outstretched as Lena tried to reach for her, and Kara instinctively reached out, but was pulled away by four of her security guards, cutting her off from Lena.

 

            “Lena!” Kara yelled, struggling slightly against the four hulking men as they herded her towards a car. A gap between two of them gave her a quick glimpse at Lena, who had been picked up in Hector’s arms and was being forcibly carried to another car as she squirmed and struggled in his arms, screaming indistinguishable things as she tried to fight him off. Kara was too disoriented to register anything else - to say anything else - and she kept whipping her head back and forth, watching as everything blurred together and her ears started to ring. It had all happened so fast, and she could hardly believe what was happening, but Lena was okay, and she let out a sob of relief as she was shoved into the back of a car. The last thing she saw before pulling away was a blood soaked Maggie surrounded by a group of police officers, and Kara was filled with dread at the sight. Someone had tried to _kill_ her, and Maggie had saved her life.

 

            Kara didn’t have her phone with her, and she didn’t have Maggie, and she was stuck in a car with four of her security guards that she’d considered secondary and practically useless; she didn’t think someone was going to attack her - why would she? – and she felt her panic growing as they sped through the city. It wasn’t until she realized that they weren’t going towards the palace that her breathing started becoming ragged and her chest felt tight, as if she couldn’t breathe. She was all alone, and she was still trying to process things, but she didn’t know what had happened, beyond someone shooting at her. All she knew was that everything had slowed down, until all she had seen was Lena just _standing_ there, and knew that she couldn’t let her get hurt. It would physically _hurt_ her to watch Lena get hurt, and so she’d moved without thinking, and she would’ve gladly been shot if it meant that Lena would be okay. Thankfully it hadn’t come to that, but as Kara was helped out of the car outside the front of the emergency room, and people began running towards her, she realized that she’d been shot. There was blood on her arm, and that’s what the stinging feeling had been, and it was why her arm felt like it was on fire. No one had seen that one coming, and Kara felt sick at the thought that if the shooters aim had been better, she would’ve been dead before anyone could even had moved an inch. On the verge of a panic attack, she vomited all over the front of a doctor’s scrubs and stumbled slightly as she sagged, and was caught by one of her security guards.

 

            Inside the hospital, she was taken immediately to a private room, where a doctor cleaned and patched up the shallow wound – she didn’t need stitches, even if it had bled freely for a little while – and she was sitting on the edge of the bed, one of the suit jackets of her guards draped around her shoulders and a plastic cup of water shakily held in hand. Her face was bone white, and her make up was a mess from her crying – she just wanted her family, and she wanted Lena – and she shook as she sat there, waiting for to be released. She was shaken, more than anything, and she knew she’d be fine, but she kept thinking about Maggie, and the blood soaked white shirt beneath her jacket, and she thought about Lena and where they had taken her. The whole city would be on lockdown, and she wouldn’t be allowed to fly back to Thorul, and Kara hoped that she was safe at the palace with Alex and Eliza. Their perfect Christmas had been ruined, and as the thought came to Kara, she let out a hysterical laugh.

 

            It was another hour before she was allowed to leave, and she inquired about Maggie before leaving, and was told that she was still in surgery. Knowing there was nothing she could do for her, and knowing that Alex would be terrified about both of them, Kara let herself be whisked out of the hospital, where a dozen police officers were waiting, keeping a crowd of reporters and photographers back, and was soon safely in the back of a car again. They sped through the city with a police escort, and in record timing they were heading through the main gates of the palace, where dozens of guards had been called in and were waiting for her. The second that the car came to a stop, they were pulling Kara out of the car, and practically dragging her to the front doors, which parted as they walked up the steps. To her surprise, it was Lena who ran out first, looking ashen faced and red-eyed from crying as she dodged guards who ran out after her. Before Kara could even say anything, Lena had pulled her close by the lapels of the suit jacket still draped around her shoulders, and crushed her lips to Kara’s in a desperate kiss. After weeks of avoiding kissing Lena, because she didn’t want to take advantage of her when she knew she had feelings for her, and Lena didn’t return them, Kara let out a sob at the feeling of Lena’s warm lips against her own. And then she was crying too much for the kiss to even be nice anymore, and Lena was crying too and they clung to each other as the security guards tried herding them into the foyer. Kara couldn’t help but feel a flicker of hurt at the way that Lena had thrown herself at Kara, and they way she’d kissed her, knowing that she was playing it all up for the cameras.

 

            “Oh god, Kara, what the bloody hell was that?” Lena sobbed, “ _never ever_ do that again. Do you hear me? Y-you don’t- you don’t do that-”

 

            “I-I’m fine,” Kara hoarsely choked out, feeling numb as she stared at Lena’s pale face.

 

            “I thought-“ and then Lena cut off, shaking her head as she couldn’t speak the words.

 

            And then they were inside, and Kara was ambushed just inside the doors as they slammed shut behind them. She let out a shaky sob as Alex and Eliza both wrapped their arms around her, both of them babbling panicked things as they held her close, relieved that she was safe and home. Lena stood off to the side, wiping her eyes and looking longingly at Kara, who didn’t see any of it; she didn’t see the fear in Lena’s eyes, or the wariness on her face as she looked at Kara, as if she’d just realized something.

 

            She didn’t see the moment that Lena realized she was _in_ love with her.


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lena's pov, as promised

            After the shooting, Lena left, and Kara couldn’t even stop her. She didn’t want to be stopped because she felt like she was going to be sick, and she needed to leave, immediately. It wasn’t until knew that Kara was approaching the palace reached them that Lena started crying, and as the doors had opened, all she could think about was if she was okay, and she’d been too quick for the guards to stop, because they were stopping anyone else from entering, not leaving. She’d darted past them and the second she had looked at Kara’s face, and seen her walking towards her, fine but a little shaken, Lena had never felt such overwhelming relief in her life. Of course, they’d said she was fine, but Lena hadn’t believed them until she saw it with her own two eyes, but she was _fine_ , and Lena instinctively acted. She’d pulled her close and desperately kissed her, because Lena needed to feel that she was okay, and she’d wrapped her arms around her, shaking as she held her close. The startling truth of what had happened kept replaying in Lena’s mind, and she was filled with fear at the thought of losing Kara. It wasn’t until they’d been pulled back inside the palace, and Kara’s family had jumped on her, that Lena had a second to process things.

 

            The nagging thought had been growing for weeks, and she’d just dismissed it, thinking that yes, maybe perhaps she _did_ love Kara, but that didn’t mean she was _in_ love with her. Even watching as blood ran down Kara’s arm as Lena saw her get shot, and watching her lie underneath Maggie, and then have Kara tackle her to the ground and shield her with her own body … even _that_ hadn’t been the moment that Lena realized. She’d kicked and screamed her head off the entire way to the car, and then to the palace, and she didn’t know _why_ it was important that she see Kara right then and there. Alex and Eliza had calmed her down, both of them teary eyed and pale, having heard the news the second they reached the palace, but Lena had been inconsolable. It hadn’t been until she’d looked at Kara, walking up those steps, that she realized the true weight of her feelings, because she knew that she couldn’t stand to lose her.

 

            As she stood there, trying to calm herself down, wiping her face and trying to slow her breathing, she realized the whole truth of the situation, and the lie she’d been feeding herself. She _was_ in love with her, and as she stared at Kara, hugging Alex, she was _terrified_. And that’s when she knew she couldn’t stay, because she felt sick at the thought of loving someone enough to lose them. She hadn’t even paused to grab anything, she’d just started walking towards the front doors without a word to anyone, sparking a confrontation with the guards when they told her she couldn’t leave. They were all on lockdown, and Lena felt her panic growing, until Kara had said her name and she felt it all disappear. Left in its place was a fear that filled her entire body, and Lena didn’t even say a word as she all but ran for the stairs and raced towards her bedroom. She was sick twice – once out of shock for the shooting, and another because she was in love – and she took a quick shower, before changing into some warm pyjamas. She’d locked herself in the bedroom after that, fighting against the tightness in her chest as she cried, alone by herself, struggling with the mix of emotions that she didn’t know how to cope with. Kara had come at some point, knocking on the door and asking if she could come in, but Lena hadn’t answered and she’d been left alone. It was hours before Hector had disturbed her, and told her that she could leave, and she picked herself up off the floor, leaving everything in her rooms as she quickly walked towards the door. She had set a brisk pace through the palace, hoping to avoid bumping into anyone, and she saw that there were guards lining the walls and milling around everywhere, but no sign of Kara, which she was grateful for. Until she neared the east entrance to the palace, and heard footsteps running towards her as Kara ran down the hallway. Lena didn’t acknowledge her, she just slipped outside and let herself be encircled by a retinue of guards as they led her towards the car. The palace doors were securely shut before Kara could make it there, and Lena sank in her seat, letting out a shaky breath as she was filled with relief at the thought of skipping that confrontation.

 

            She didn’t think she could look Kara in the eye ever again.

 

\---

 

            She stayed in Argo City, in the house that Kara had gifted her, letting herself be comforted by the presence of Aoife, who was as clumsily happy as ever as she constantly begged for Lena’s attention. She was glad to have the company of someone who didn’t talk, and she avoided anyone who could, including half a dozen calls off her mom and brother. She didn’t want to talk to anyone, and she didn’t want to leave the house – not that she could even if she wanted to – but the solitude was driving her mad. Over and over again, Lena tormented herself with the thought that she loved Kara, and it sent a stab of pain through her heart every time, bringing on a fresh wave of hurt. If she could’ve pulled her heart out of her chest, she would’ve. This whole time she’d thought that she’d found an easy way out of falling in love – even if she had hated the terms of the contract with a passion – but she had been wrong. Pretending to be in love with someone had been hard, but being in love with someone who didn’t love you back was even harder. Lena felt crushed.

 

            Sam came with Ruby the next day, looking panicked as she wrapped Lena in a hug, which was something that she knew Lena hated, but seemed appropriate for the moment. She could tell that there was something wrong with Lena, besides the obvious thing about her being upset at Kara being shot, but Lena couldn’t tell Sam what it was, and she wouldn’t have even if she could. How could she explain to the only person she would maybe call a friend that she was in love with the girl she was supposed to have been in love with for the past year? Sam wouldn’t get it because she wasn’t allowed to know what had happened. Lena just suffered in silence, locking herself in her room and barely eating as she waited for things to settle down. At first she had told herself that it was all a lie, but that in itself was a lie. She tried to say that she was just confused because she’d been pretending to love Kara for so long that it had all gotten mixed up in her head, but she knew that there had always been distinct boundaries between what was real and what wasn’t, and over the past few weeks the line had blurred slightly, until now, Lena realized that it was more real than anything else she’d ever known. That terrified her more than anything, because she had wanted real, and she had told Kara that on Christmas Eve, without even thinking about the fact that what she had really meant wasn’t real with someone else, but real with Kara. There had always been a tiny bit of relief at not having the freedom to choose someone, because someone had been picked for her and was contractually obliged to stay with her, but the thought of falling in love without someone who didn’t return her feelings scared Lena more than she liked to admit. Even scarier was the thought of Kara returning her feelings, and things falling apart, leaving them both stuck hating each other with no way out. The weight of her feelings weighed heavily on Lena’s shoulders, and she realized that she was stuck either way. The only way out of this was to break the contract, and she couldn’t do that to Kara, not after everything Kara had put up with for her; it would be selfish, and leave them both with nothing. It should’ve made things easier, being in love, but it was Lena’s biggest fear come to life, and she didn’t know what to do. A small part of herself tried to give her hope that Kara could possibly return her feelings, after all, she’d shielded Lena with her own body and at the risk of her own life, but Lena wouldn’t let herself think like that, and shut down the nagging voice at the back of her mind. That was just who Kara was as a person, and she would do it for anyone she cared about, and Kara had told Lena she cared about her, just not in the way that Lena wished.

 

            So she stayed away, using the excuse that it was dangerous for them to be around each other right now, with the security around the city on high alert, with the military posted around the palace, Lena’s house, all government buildings and even Eliza’s estate out in the countryside. Kara had taken precautions with all of the people she cared about that might be targeted, and Lena wished that she could be with her more than anything, but knew that it would be a terrible idea. Instead, she stayed inside, silently watching the news with Sam, watching Cat Grant give a public statement as Krypton’s Prime Minister, and another speech by Astra as the ambassador, and one from Kara, from the safety of the palace, and dozens of others from cops and detectives and military personnel. And then the news came out that it was a rebel anti-monarchy hate group, and a girl called Siobhan was taken into custody as the shooter. At the announcement of who had done it, Lena felt terror take hold, and a prickle of uneasiness ran through her. After that, she turned the TV off and stopped watching the news, just sitting along with Aoife and absentmindedly scratching the dog under her chin as the weight of what had happened fully sank in.

 

\---

 

            It was New Year’s Eve the next time they saw each other, because despite everything, they had to keep up the pretense, and while excuses had been made by publicists and others, they had to see each other at some point. Life had to go on, even as Lena fell apart. So Lena decided to throw a party at her house, and called in Veronica to help plan it in her stead. Gayle and Jack came too, and Lena had Jess organize invitations for everyone that usually come to them, and left the rest of it to everyone else. She wasn’t in the mood for a party at all, but she had to do _something_ , and if she had to see Kara again for the first time since she’d realized, then at least she could be drunk with music too loud to hold a conversation. At least then she’d be able to look her in the eye.

 

            The house was filled with people, and Lena was already drunk when Kara showed up with Alex in tow and half a dozen bodyguards hovering around and suspiciously eyeing the crowd. Lena’s stomach had dropped at the sight of her, wearing a blue dress and her blonde hair curled and trailing down her back. She didn’t have her glasses on tonight, and Lena could see the circles under her eyes even in the dim light. Other than a scab on her arm, she looked completely fine, and Lena felt the tightness in her chest ease up slightly. Sam let out an excited shout at the sight of her, and smiled widely as she dragged Lena towards them, meeting them halfway. Plastering a bright smile on her face, Lena walked towards Kara, feeling her smile falter slightly as she got closer. She didn’t want to kiss her; she didn’t want to know that it was fake, and so she just wrapped her arms around Kara and loosely held her. Kara returned the hug, tighter, and removed all distance between the two of them as she gave Lena a gentle squeeze. It was comforting, and Lena was surprised by it, but she _did_ feel better for it, even if her heart ached.

 

            “You haven’t replied to any of my messages,” Kara murmured in her ear, “how are you?”

 

            “How am _I?”_ Lena breathlessly laughed, “how are you?”

 

            “Um … okay?”

 

            Lena let out a small sigh, closing her eyes as they burned slightly. She gently rubbed Kara’s back for a moment, before pulling back and giving her a tiny smile, feeling slightly awkward. “How’s Sawyer?”

 

            Kara gave her a grim smile, “she’s good. I made them keep her in, but she’s at her place at the palace now, resting. It hit her shoulder, just at the edge of her vest – bad luck.”

 

            “She’s alive,” Lena said, giving an anxious looking Alex a reassuring smile. She’d had flowers delivered to Maggie’s room at the hospital as a thank you for saving the girl she loved, because Lena wasn’t sure if Kara would’ve died or survived if Maggie wasn’t there. She would’ve visited if she’d been allowed to leave the house, so she just sent flowers, and made a secret promise to repay the bodyguard some day. Lena might not have been able to admit that she loved Kara, to anyone but herself, but she _did_ and she was more grateful than she’d ever been that Maggie was there, and she knew nothing could pay for her throwing herself in front of the bullet, but Lena would try. She wouldn’t tell Kara, of course.

 

            James and Lucy were already at the party, and the second they saw Kara, they were both there, hugging her tightly and talking about the shooting. Lena saw the way that Lucy looked at her out of the corner of her eyes, and she was afraid that she’d let something show on her face, but the other girl didn’t say anything, and Lena quickly turned around, murmuring something about getting her and Kara drinks. She made her way to the bar, ordering two martinis and two shots of vodka, downing the shots at the bar and then picking the glasses up and heading back towards Kara. She wasn’t _nearly_ drunk enough to handle this situation, but she was glad that the loud music made it harder for her to keep a conversation going with her. Her glass was empty by the time she made it back to Kara, and she silently handed the drink to her and went off in search of something else. She got herself a glass of red wine, and then swiped the entire bottle, before weaving through the crowds of dancing people, their movements looking almost robotic in the flashing strobe lights illuminating the room every few seconds. The ball room and the adjoining dining and sitting rooms were packed full with a couple of hundred people all drinking, dancing and laughing, and Lena knew that there would be no escaping it, so she found the nearest corner in the sitting room and hid in it with her bottle of wine. No one disturbed her for the longest time, because they were all oblivious to her as they enjoyed themselves, and she was at the end of the bottle by the time that Kara found her.

 

            Lena’s eyes darted around as she lurched to her feet, and she couldn’t find anywhere to escape to. Warm hands on her arms steadied her, and for the first time all night, she looked directly into Kara’s eyes, feeling the breath knocked out of her lungs as her chest tightened. Falling in love was bad for her health, and Lena wished her feelings would disappear as she found herself incredibly close to Kara – closer than she would’ve liked. There was an awkwardness about Kara too, whose eyes were glassy and cheeks flushed, and Lena realized that she’d been drinking too, which was shocking. She wondered again if Kara was doing okay since the shooting, and she attributed the heavy drinking to her coping with it as Kara wobbled slightly on her feet. There was concern in Kara’s eyes, and Lena gave her a tight smile, hoping it was reassuring, as she pulled back from her touch, leaving Kara’s hands outstretched towards her. But then, Lena felt compelled to take a step closer to her, and Kara seemed frozen in her spot as Lena brushed past her, their hands bumping against each other’s, and Lena knew that she needed to go. She didn’t know _where_ she needed to go, but she had to get away from Kara. Slender fingers wound through hers though, and Lena looked up, meeting Kara’s warm gaze and soft smile, and she shouted something over the loud music, jerking her head towards the group of people dancing. She wanted to dance. Lena didn’t want to dance with her – she never liked dancing to begin with – and she shook her head.

 

            Kara smiled widely, leaning in and brushing Lena’s ear with her lip, sending shivers down Lena’s spine. “Are you going to dance, or sit there and drink your wine?” Kara said, her voice just loud enough to be heard over the thumping music, and Lena drew back slightly, so her lips were near Kara’s ear.

 

            “It’s empty.”

 

            “Well, come on then.”

 

            She was powerless to stop Kara as she dragged Lena through the crowd, twisting and turning through the gyrating bodies, until they were in the middle of the crowd, and Kara pulled Lena close by her waist, adjusting their entwined hands and holding them up. Lena let out a laugh that got lost in the sound of the music, letting her other hand rest on Kara’s shoulder; it was a traditional ballroom pose, and completely ridiculous for dancing to this kind of music, but Lena felt her throat close up despite it, because Kara’s hand was spread across her lower back, and they were pressed up against each other. Lena’s eyes were everywhere but on Kara’s face, mostly looking at the floor as she drank up the movements of their feet, and she couldn’t help but think of the consequences of Kara holding her so close in the dark room. It was completely packed, and the music was so loud that Lena felt deafened, and as she looked up, all that she could see was Kara’s eyes, staring intensely right back at hers. Lena stopped moving, feeling her lips part slightly. She couldn’t say anything though, and she just stood there with her mouth open, trying to calm down her racing pulse, because she knew that any minute now, she was going to do something stupid.

 

            And then Kara spoke, too quiet to be heard, but the unmistakable look of Lena’s name rolling off her lips was enough to tear Lena out of her frozen state. She ripped herself out of Kara’s arms, stumbling slightly as she fell backwards, and one of Kara’s bodyguards steadied her and gave her a small nod. Her eyes darted around for an exit, and at an opening in the crowd, she pushed through, feeling Kara’s hand on her arm for a brief moment, before Lena was gone, slipping through the dark room as she struggled to breathe. The only solid light was the door leading towards the hallway outside the linking rooms, and Lena headed straight towards it, her head spinning and her movements clumsy as she squeezed her eyes shut and blinked rapidly. The moment she broke free of the crowd, she felt her panic diminish slightly, and a few steps later she was out in the brightly lit hallway, sucking in deep breaths as she was free of the claustrophobic room.

 

            Stumbling towards the opposite wall, Lena braced herself against it, breathing slowly as she shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. Now wasn’t the time to fall apart, and it wasn’t the place either, but she couldn’t stop the thoughts from bouncing around in her head. She felt like she was going to snap.

 

            “Lena?”

 

            Letting out a quiet groan, Lena kept staring at the ground as she leant against the wall. She couldn’t look at her, and she just wanted to be alone before she ruined _everything_. If there was one thing she was good at, it was ruining things, and even her mom would agree to that.

 

            “Lena, are you okay?” Kara asked, her words slightly slurred and she laughed slightly and an emphasized step let Lena know that she’d stumbled and just managed to catch her balance.

 

            “I’m fine,” Lena muttered, pushing herself off the wall and walking down the hallway, “I’m going to bed.”

 

            “Wait!” Kara exclaimed, and Lena didn’t have a choice, because Kara’s hand was on her arm and it was enough to stop her in her tracks, even though Lena was telling herself to keep walking. Keep walking before something stupid happened. They were alone in the hallway, except for a few bodyguards, and the party all seemed so distant, even though the music spilled out of the open door, giving them a glimpse into the darkness and flashing lights. It all seemed like a different world. “Lena-“

 

            And she couldn’t take it anymore, and she could hear the muffled sound of a countdown coming from inside the room as the clock neared midnight, and she looked up at Kara and saw the look in her eyes. Without even thinking, she pulled Kara close by her waist, and her other hand came up to cup Kara’s face, and she kissed her again, for the second time in less than a week, and for the second time in less than a week, it _meant_ something. And then Kara was kissing her back, and they were both drunk and stumbling, and Lena pushed her up against the wall to balance them, and _still_ they didn’t stop. Not when the clock hit midnight and the other rooms exploded into cheers, or when Lena opened her mouth and deepened the kiss, or when a few people stumbled out into the hallway. They didn’t stop until they could hardly breathe, and they were both breathing rapidly, their foreheads touching as they held onto each other, realizing the weight of what they had both done, and thinking that the other didn’t feel the same way. It was a bittersweet moment for them both, because they were both so happy in the moment, but they knew that as soon as the moment broke, it would be the end of things as they were, and they didn’t know how that was going to work out. There was the hopeful feeling that they both had feelings for each other, but neither Kara or Lena were willing to admit it to themselves though, but there was no denying that the kiss … neither of them had been kissed like that before.

 

\---

 

            Lena’s head was pounding the next morning, and she sat at the small dining table in her rooms, grumbling to Jess as she drained a glass of water to wash away the lingering taste of alcohol that coated her tongue. Her hangover wasn’t as bad as she’d been expecting, and she felt refreshed after a quick shower, but she attributed her mood to the fact that Kara had _kissed_ her last night, or rather, she’d made the first move and kissed _Kara_ , but Kara had kissed her _back_ and that meant just as much to Lena. Her stomach was tied into knots as she sat at the table, and she was about to dig into her omelette when there was a knock on the door. Lena’s heart leapt at the sound, and she smiled slightly to herself as she tried to compose herself, nodding at Jess to answer it and leave.

 

            Kara walked in, carrying a large wrapped gift in with her, and holding a small black book in her other hand, along with a folded up newspaper. She looked nervous, and Lena couldn’t blame her at all; she felt the same way. “Um, hi.”

 

            “Good morning,” Lena slowly replied, a wary look on her face as she looked at Kara. This was the moment that mattered most; the aftermath. They were both relatively sober now, and they both clearly still remembered what had happened, and now was the moment of truth to see where they stood, and it _terrified_ Lena.

 

            “This, uh, this is the gift you never got to open on Christmas Day,” Kara explained, lifting the wrapped gift slightly and setting it down to rest against the legs of one of the chairs. She put the little black book down on the table and held the newspaper in her hands, letting out a shaky breath, “this is today’s copy. Just, uh, don’t get mad.”

 

            Lena frowned as she slowly reached out and took the newspaper off Kara. Unfolding it, she looked at the photo printed on the front page; it was her and Kara last night, pressed up against the wall and wrapped up in each other, oblivious to everyone and everything. There were more photos, and so, Lena quickly flipped to the article, her eyes skimming the rest of them, and a few words of the article standing out as her eyes ran over the words. She felt sick. It had been a private moment between the two of them, one of the _only_ genuine private moments they’d had, and even that had been ripped away from them. The whole thing left a bitter taste in Lena’s mouth and she sat stiffly in her seat as she numbly stared down at the photos. She couldn’t do this, she realized with sudden clarity; she couldn’t spend the rest of her life with her privacy being invaded. It was fine for them to put on a show themselves, because those photos were _supposed_ to be seen, but a private kiss – their _only_ private kiss – was another matter, and Lena felt her stomach.

 

            “They turned out nicely,” she said after a long pause, having to force herself to plaster a calm and collected look on her face, even as her heart broke. She couldn’t let Kara close, and she couldn’t have something real with her, she’d been a fool to think so.

 

            “What?” Kara asked, her face blanching slightly, “you knew the photographer was there?”

 

            Lena let out a sharp laugh, and it sounded hollow to her own ears, before folding the paper in half and tossing onto the table as she gave Kara a tight smile. “Of course I did,” Lena lied, feeling a pain in her chest as she words rolled of her tongue with difficulty, “what? Did you think that I kissed you like that for the benefit of our bloody bodyguards?”

 

            Whatever Kara had been expecting her to say, it hadn’t been that, and Lena hated herself as she watched an unreadable expression flash across Kara’s face. Those walls that had fallen away last night were back up, and higher than ever as Lena forced herself to shut herself off, and to push Kara away. She couldn’t let Kara know the truth, she wouldn’t let herself get closer to her like she’d been stupid enough to do. This was all her fault, and Lena would have to handle her feelings herself, because there was no _way_ that Kara felt it too, and a drunken kiss in front of other people didn’t mean there was feelings. Lena had been stupid to think that just because they were outside of the room that no one would see them, so of _course_ Kara would’ve kissed her back, and she had let her hope get the better of her. The silence dragged on as Kara just stared at her, and then she seemed to collect her thoughts, and let out a surprised laugh, which took _Lena_ by surprise.

 

            “I can’t do this anymore,” Kara suddenly blurted out as another laugh bubbled up.

 

            “What?” Lena said, feeling her heart pound in her chest at the words. “What do you mean?”

 

            “I mean I can’t do it,” Kara said, looking at Lena with wide eyes as she shook her head back and forth and took a step back. “I can’t keep pretending; it’s too much.”

 

            Lena climbed to her feet, almost knocking her chair over in her haste, and she felt her panic grow as the weight of Kara’s words settled in. “Wait, no,” Lena hoarsely said, “I haven’t- nothing’s gone _wrong_. Y-you can’t just … _end_ it. The contract-”

 

            Smiling, even though it didn’t reach her eyes, Kara looked away, “don’t worry, you can have your stupid contract, but I’m done. I’m _tired_ , Lena. I can’t keep this up any longer. We need a break.”

 

            “A break?” Lena numbly asked, “what do you mean?”

 

            “I mean that you can go home, and I’ll stay here, and that’s it. We’ll just keep it public from now one. This … it’s getting too complicated, and I’m … I don’t know how long I can keep it going. I need- I need a break. I need _space_ , and I need some time to think,” Kara quietly said, “ _this_ … it’s over.”

 

            Feeling the stab of rejection, Lena held her mask in place as hurt took hold in her heart, and she could feel her eyes prickle. A slow smile spread across her face and she let out a cold laugh, “it never even started in the first place, _darling_.”

 

            Kara winced at the mocking tone, and she swallowed thickly, “it’s okay; I know what we are … and I know what we aren’t. I just hope that we can still be friends.”

 

            “Friends?” Lena scoffed, blinking rapidly as she tried to keep up her mask of cruel indifference, “don’t kid yourself. We were never _friends_.”

 

            “You’re right,” Kara smiled sadly at her, “we were something else.”

 

            Without another word, she turned around and left, and Lena told herself to go after her and stop her, or just call her name and tell her she was wrong, but she just stood there, watching as the _one good thing_ in her life just turned around and walked away. And she only had herself to blame. Exhaling forcefully, Lena ran a hand through her hair and grasped at the front of her shirt, right where her heart was as it broke, and her face crumpled as she stared at the closed door. She was the maker of her own heartbreak, and she told herself that it was what she wanted, but it was a feeble lie, and she pitied herself. Everything good in her life turned to shit, because that was just who she was as a person – she couldn’t _let_ herself be happy. It would’ve been easy to tell Kara the truth when she came in, and instead, she’d completely ruined it to save herself the eventual heartbreak, which would’ve been a thousand times worse by then. She was doing herself a favour. Yet, as she walked over to the liquor cabinet to pour herself a drink and get wasted before noon, her eyes fell on the wrapped gift, and she dropped to her knees in front of it, reaching out with shaking hands to pull away the brown paper.

 

            It was a canvas, and Lena let out a small sob as she took in the painting on it. She’d used the equipment that Lena had bought her for their anniversary, and she’d painted her something; she’d painted _Lena_. It was pink, and as Lena stared at the colour, all she could think of was back when they’d talked about her first painting, and about what emotions the red had evoked. This colour pink … it was love, and romance, and hope, warmth, tenderness. It was all of those things and more, because over the top of it was an outline in a vague likeness of herself, painted in bold black lines, and Lena couldn’t help it as she started to cry.

 

            It only made her love Kara more.


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry, I had a lot of time on my hands today so I wrote another one

            Kara didn’t wait for Alex or any of her friends, she just left the palace in a hurry, not even picking up her sketchbook, which ordinarily would’ve scared her, but just this once, she didn’t care. Lena didn’t feel the same way about her, and Kara’s heart hurt. She hadn’t known what to expect this morning, after their kiss last night, but she hadn’t expected _that_. It had been too much for her, and she’d realized that that was the last straw, and Alex had been right, and she needed to take care of herself first, but that didn’t mean she could throw Lena out on the streets just because she was heartbroken. It wasn’t Lena’s fault, and Kara couldn’t blame her for not feeling the same way, because they’d had clear boundaries on this, and it was only Kara who had broken them. She was the one who had thought that the kiss had meant something, but it had all been an act, as per usual, and it was her own fault for thinking that it had been anything else. Some time alone would be good for them both.

 

            That didn’t stop her from bursting into tears the moment that she’d locked herself in her room though, and it didn’t even make her feel better afterwards. Her face was blotchy and her eye itched, and she just felt _drained_ and tired of it all. That was the worst part of all of this – the tiredness. She felt like she could sleep for a week, but she knew that nothing would make her feel better and it would be futile to even try and change things. So she just sat on her bed, with her knees drawn up to her chest, and tried not to cry anymore, because it didn’t help things, and that was how Alex found her three hours later, stumbling in slightly hungover and freezing when she saw Kara sat there.

 

            “What happened?”

 

            Kara let out a teary laugh, smiling through her pain as she looked at Alex, “we kissed, and I-I thought … I thought it was real, and it was just- it was more publicity, a-and I realized that I-I can’t do this anymore.”

 

            Rushing over to the bed, Alex perched on the edge and hesitantly reached for her sister, before wrapping her in a hug. “Oh Kara, I’m sorry, honey,” Alex said, rubbing her back, and Kara had to fight back the urge to cry again. “It’s okay, I’ve got you. Me and mom, we’ll look after you. Y-you don’t have to worry about anything; you can come home, and we’ll leave Astra to sort it all out, and-”

 

            “I didn’t break the contract,” Kara murmured, drawing in a shuddering breath, “I just- I told her that it’s public from now on. We go to official events together, and one day we’ll get engaged, and then we’ll get married and have kids … but us? We won’t talk unless it’s necessary. It’ll be … easier, I hope.”

 

            “Kara-“

 

            “I can’t leave her alone, Alex,” Kara said, letting out a breathless sob, her voice hitching as she spoke, “I’m all she has, whether she knows it or not, and I can’t- no matter what, I can’t just leave her with nothing. Even if it hurts. It won’t hurt forever though, and you know, maybe one day I’ll get over her.”

 

 _“Kara,”_ Alex said again, her voice tense, “you can’t live like that. You can’t just put someone else in front of you because you love them, when they don’t feel the same for you, that’s not- that’s not _love_. I’m sorry, sweetie, really, I am, but you deserve to have someone who _treasures_ you, and can make you happy.”

 

            Tears slid down Kara’s cheeks and she wiped at them as she gave Alex a grim smile, “ _she_ makes me happy, Alex. I don’t want someone else to love me, I just want her.”

 

            “I know you do,” Alex sighed, nudging Kara across the bed and stretching out beside her. Burying her face in her sister’s shoulder, Kara sobbed into her chest, until there was nothing left, and even if she wanted to, she wouldn’t be able to cry anymore. She was glad that she had Alex though, and she felt better for having someone to comfort her, and knew that everything would be okay.

 

            It was another hour before she moved from the bed, and she walked through the suite, heading for the door as Alex followed behind, questioning her. Kara said she was going to get something to eat, her stomach grumbling after missing breakfast, and it was nearing lunchtime now. Pulling open the door, Kara stepped out into the hallway, unable to find the energy to even care that her face was red and puffy, and she let out a sound of surprise as she came face to face with Maggie, who was dressed in her suit and standing next to the door with one arm in a sling. Kara took one look at her and blinked, “you’re fired.”

 

            “Wha- Your Majesty,” Maggie said, her mouth opening in surprise.

 

            “Kara!” Alex exclaimed from behind her.

 

            Jerking her head down the hallway, Kara set off walking barefoot along the carpet, “follow me Sawyer.”

 

            Her now ex-bodyguard hesitantly followed after her, half a step behind Alex, because of rank and protocol, and the three of them were silent as they walked through the palace. It wasn’t until they neared the doors to the throne room that Kara paused, waiting for two uniformed house guards to open it as they gave her slight bows, and then she strode along the red carpet and mounted the couple of steps below the throne. Alex and Maggie hovered near the base of the steps, watching with confusion as Kara disappeared off to one side of the platform for a moment, slipping behind the rich red drapes curtaining off the area behind the throne. She grabbed the ceremonial sword off the stand and quickly walked back down the steps, and pointed the sword at Maggie.

 

            “You saved my life,” Kara bluntly stated, and Maggie nodded, and then Kara turned to Alex, moving the sword with her, until the tip was pointed at her, “you love her?” The question took her sister by surprise, and Alex shifted uncomfortably, aware of Maggie’s curious gaze on her, and she shrugged slightly as she nodded, her cheeks turning red. Turning back to Maggie, Kara motioned with the sword, “get on one knee.”

 

            With Alex as a witness, Kara bestowed land and titles on Maggie as a thank you for saving her, and more importantly, so that Alex could be with her. There was no way it would end well with Maggie as Kara’s bodyguard forever, and Alex a future Duchess, and Kara wouldn’t have her sister experience the same pain she was currently going through. She wouldn’t have Alex have to choose between the life she wanted and love, and so she gave this gift freely, taking some small satisfaction at the fact that she brought Alex so much happiness with one silly little gesture. It wasn’t much – not to her – but to Alex and Maggie, it was everything that hadn’t been allowed to hope for. They were free to love each other, with not consequences of their actions, and in that moment she envied her sister more than anything, because she had someone who loved her back, and Kara couldn’t help but feel a flicker of jealousy.

 

            She wanted that. She wanted that with Lena.

 

\---

 

            She spent two months moping over Lena, and she didn’t hear a word, and didn’t send word either. Shutting herself away and focusing on her work, Kara spent most of her time signing paperwork or turning up at charity events. Every week or so, she’d jet off to Thorul, or somewhere else, and Lena would do the same, and they’d be caught exiting their planes, and let the press assume that they were there to secretly meet each other. They didn’t see each other though; it was all publicity, as Kara had said it would be, and they didn’t so much as catch a glimpse of each other. Whenever there was a political situation, or a big charity event that technically they both should be at, one of them came up with an excuse, and went somewhere else so they would be out of town. It was almost as tiring and draining as pretending to be in love in front of cameras, and Kara wasn’t sure if she was drained because of that, or because she’d been unable to move on. Her feelings hadn’t so much as wavered slightly, and each time she saw Lena’s face on the news or front page of the newspaper, she felt a tightness in her chest, and had to blink to stop her eyes from tearing up. More than anything, she _missed_ her. She missed the snarkiness and sarcasm, and the bickering and arguing, and she missed the sweet, tender moments too. She missed every piece of her, and not for the first time, she wished that she didn’t feel that way, because it would’ve made things _so_ much easier. Kara wished that she didn’t have to stay in the contract either, but she knew at this point, it was useless to hope for a way out without breaching the terms. She knew that right up until there was a pounding knock on her door two months after ending things with Lena, and it was pushed open without her permission, revealing Lucy, who looked windswept and bright eyed as she smiled widely.

 

            “Kara, we need to talk,” Lucy said, striding into the room before Kara could even invite her in. She has a satchel over once shoulder, and she was wearing a suit as if she’d just come straight from the law firm. As she closed the door with a look of surprise on her face at Lucy’s forwardness, she watched as her friend pulled a folder out of her bag and set it down on the table, fumbling as she scrambled to spread the documents out on the table. “I found it.”

 

            “What’re you talking about?” Kara asked, slowly walking over to the table and staring down at the documents. It was the contract. She frowned as she looked down at it, swallowing the lump in her throat. “Lucy, I don’t have time for this right now. I’m supposed to be at a charity auction in an hour.”

 

            “I found a way to break it!” Lucy exclaimed, picking up two different pages and squinting, until she let out a triumphant shout and slammed the page down on the table. One line was highlighted, and she pointed accusingly at it. “See! Right there.”

 

            Kara picked it up, reading over the line and letting out a frustrated sigh. All it said was that the princesses would be told once Lena had turned twenty-five, unless there was an extenuating circumstance, such as their case with the different line of succession with Kara. It was nothing they didn’t already know and she tossed the page back onto the table. “How does that help? It _was_ an extenuating circumstance; every judge will agree to that. This doesn’t help at _all_.”

 

            Lucy scrambled for the page again, a mad glint in her eyes as she smiled widely at Kara, “no, no, see that’s what I thought, _but_ read it aloud.”

 

            Sighing, Kara reached out for the page, and stared down at the words. “The contract will come into action once Princess Lena of Thorul turns twenty-five, whereby both Princess Lena of Thorul and Princess Kara of Krypton will be informed of the nature of the contract, unless extenuating circumstances- Lucy this is exactly the same, I don’t get it.”

 

            “Princess,” Lucy said, “they were telling the princess.”

 

            “Yes, they did.”

 

            “No, they didn’t, they told the _queen_ ,” Lucy said, smiling at her, and Kara dropped the page. “You weren't officially crowned, but you still held the title Queen, from the moment your family died. It’ll hold up in court, so we can just take it straight to the Queen Mother and just have her do away with it, because she’ll want to avoid a public court case. Publicity around this would be the exact opposite of what she wants. You can- you can _end_ this, Kara.”

 

            Feeling as if the wind had been knocked from her lungs, Kara let out a breathless laugh, “you’re sure this will work? You’re _sure_?”

 

            Lucy nodded earnestly, and Kara felt her eyes prickle with tears. Lucy knew how she felt about Lena, and she knew what had happened between them – in some aspect – and she hadn’t given up hope. This was the answer she’d spent over eight months searching for, and she’d found it, and Kara threw her arms around her friend. It hurt to know that now Lena didn’t need her at all, but Kara could give her the freedom she desired, and she could let her go, so that Lena could find the _realness_ she’d been looking for. And Kara … knowing that she could set them both free, and give them the option to choose, was more than enough. She knew that she still would’ve picked Lena though, no matter what. She didn’t need a contract to tell her to love her; she did anyway.

 

            “Thank you,” Kara whispered, giving her friend a quick squeeze before she drew back, “thank you, Lucy. Truly. I’m so grateful to you for this, and you’ve been a great friend.”

 

            “I’ll get in touch with Alana; you should get going to your auction.”

 

            “No,” Kara said, her voice shaking slightly, “I’d like t-to tell Lena myself. We owe each other that much at least.” Lucy nodded, giving her a grim smile, knowing how Kara really felt, and there was pity in her eyes. Kara thanked her again, before reaching for her bag on the table and saying goodbye to Lucy, who was putting all of the photos together in a pile. As she made her way downstairs, she phoned Jess, inquiring into Lena’s whereabouts and asking her to try and arrange a meeting for the two of them whenever Lena was free.

 

\---

 

            The auction was in full swing, with the auctioneer rapidly shouting things while people flashed their numbers and the gavel was banged down on the podium time after time. Kara had made polite talk with people, and occasionally bid on something, and was almost enjoying herself. That’s when she saw Sam, who was cutting a path through the crowd, waving slightly at Kara as she smiled and approached.

 

            “Sam, hi!” Kara greeted her, giving her a warm smile. She hadn’t seen her since New Year’s Eve, for obvious reasons, and she realized that she had missed her. Out of all of Lena’s friends, Kara liked her the most, and she had missed hanging out with her with Lena.

 

            “Your Majesty,” she said, smiling brightly as she curtsied slightly, “it’s been so long!”

 

            “Too long,” Kara said, her smile turning slightly bitter as she looked at Sam. “What’re you doing here? How’ve you been? How’s Ruby?”

 

            Sam nodded, plucking two champagne flutes off a passing waiter, and handing one to Kara. “For the charity auction, of course. I even brought a painting; Lena said to bring it. How is she, by the way?”

 

            “Lena?” Kara asked, blinking in surprise at the question.

 

            A flicker of concern crossed Sam’s face, and her mouth turned down at the corners, “yeah, I haven’t heard from her in months. Not since New Year’s. She hasn’t replied to my messages or calls, and I mean, I know she’s been a country over, and I would’ve come to see her, but I’ve been so busy and-“

 

            “She’s not here,” Kara interrupted her, and Sam blinked in surprise, “she’s been in Ireland. She, uh, I think she got back to Thorul the other day for something – I’m not sure when she’s leaving again, but she’s there at the moment.”

 

            “Ireland? What’s she been doing _there?_ Was it because of the whole ordeal with the photographer?”

 

            Kara blanched slightly, knowing exactly the instance that Sam was talking about, and she felt a sharp pain in her chest. “What about it?”

 

            “Oh, well, you know, how furious she was and all that. I’ve never seen her in such a state. I thought she was going to knock Veronica out, which admittedly isn’t the first time they’ve had a bit of a rough up, but _God_ , she was so _mad_. I didn’t realize she had such a problem with people sneaking photos of the two of you.”

 

            “What,” Kara numbly said.

 

            “With the New Year’s kiss? Those photos, remember?” Sam said, frowning slightly, “that asshole that Veronica invited.”

 

            Kara shook her head back and forth, trying to follow what Sam was saying, but finding it hard to fit it all together. “What guy?”

 

            “The one who took the photos,” Sam said, sounding exasperated as she looked at Kara with concern, “she threatened to sue him, have him arrested – you know, just being Lena in general – there was a huge argument with all of us, and, I mean, I don’t know _why_ she was so mad, because it’s not like it’s the first time someone’s taken secret photos of your relationship, but still, I sided with her, of course. That was the last time we spoke though. She hasn’t spoken to anyone since then.”

 

            As the realization of everything that had happened dawned on Kara, she let out a shaky laugh, running a hand through her hair. Draining her glass of champagne, she tilted her head to the side and looked at Sam with a slight frown on her face. “She didn’t tell you, did she?”

 

            “Tell me what?”

 

            “It was all fake, Sam,” Kara said, laughing again, “all of it. Me and her … it was a business deal. A contract made by our parents. We were never in love – she never loved _me_ – and she’s- she’s been _gone_ because we couldn’t- it all got too hard. I couldn’t take it anymore; I love her, Sam, and I have for a long time. She doesn’t know though, because you know what she’s like, and now she’s … gone. I couldn’t break the contract or we’d both lose everything – our titles, land, money – and she’d be left with nothing. She doesn’t _have_ anyone.

 

            “What’re you talking about?” Sam laughed, shaking her head in disbelief, “Kara, she’s been in love with you for _months_. Of course she’d never admit it, but then again, she won’t even admit that I’m her friend, even though she’s bloody _godmother_ to my daughter. _That’s_ how alone she is.”

 

            Closing her eyes, Kara shook her head, and then she opened them again, blinking rapidly as her eyes burned. “No. No, you’re wrong. Lillian and my mom – they made this deal. It’s been fake all along.”

 

            “You’re serious?” Sam gasped, her mouth falling open in surprise, “they _actually_ did that to you?”

 

            “Yes!” Kara quietly exclaimed, trying to keep her voice down as she glanced around at the guests holding up numbers as they bid on the items the man at the front was auctioning off. “This _whole_ time. From the very beginning.”

 

            “Oh god, this makes so much sense,” Sam breathlessly said, smiling slightly, “she was scared. She kissed you, didn’t she? That night. She kissed you and that asshole snapped your photos and she panicked. She pushed you away. She’s _always_ running away from things.”

 

            Kara opened and closed her mouth as she stared at Sam, feeling her heart hammer in her chest. There was truth to Sam’s words, and Kara wanted to believe them, but she just couldn’t; she couldn’t let herself get her hopes up again, because for all her talk of getting over Lena, and how it wouldn’t be painful forever, Kara _still_ loved her. All that she’d been thinking of for two months was Lena.

 

            Alex appeared at Kara’s elbow, with Maggie in tow – wearing a dress and standing beside someone for once, instead of standing guard in a suit – and she smiled at Sam. “Hey Sam, how’ve you been? Wha- hey, Kara, isn’t that your painting?”

 

            Her head jerked up, and she looked at the front of the room where the pink canvas with the black outline of Lena stood on an easel. Her heart stopped, and Kara’s mouth fell open in surprise.

 

            “Wait, _you_ painted that?” Sam asked, her eyebrows shooting up in surprise.

 

            Kara ignored her, and pushed her way towards the stage, her eyes locked onto the painting. “Twenty-thousand,” Kara shouted, knowing that no one knew it was by her, or anyone of note, and that it wouldn’t fetch more than a couple of thousand. She needed that painting, and she needed it now.

 

            She didn’t even wait for the auctioneer to bang his gavel, before she kicked off her heels, leapt on stage and picked up the painting. Awkwardly carrying the canvas, she jumped back down and sped through the crowd of confused and amused guests, hearing a few clicks of cameras and knowing that her antics would be published everywhere tomorrow, but right now, she didn’t care. There was the _slightest_ chance that what Sam was saying was true – the love part, not the photographs part, because she knew in her heart that Sam was right about that – and she had to know for sure whether Lena loved her or not. Running barefoot out of the building, leaving Alex, Sam and Maggie staring after her, frozen in shock with their mouths open, she burst out into the cold, wincing as her bare feet hit the cold cobblestones. There was a car parked nearby – one of her own – and the driver was leaning against it, smoking a cigarette. He flicked it to the ground and stamped on it as Kara ran down the steps, and she threw herself into the back of the car, letting the canvas go and climbing into the front seat. The keys were in the ignition, and the driver was still slamming the back door shut as the car roared to life. Her bodyguards didn’t even have the chance to reach the car before she was driving away from the hotel, heading straight for Thorul.


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whew

            She didn’t care about the speed limit this time, and she sped down the motorway with her foot flat on the accelerator, feeling her nerves grow. The buildings in the city gave way to the skeletal trees and new sprouting green grass as she sped through the countryside, the headlights illuminating the way. By she crossed the border into the Thorul a few hours later, her stomach had tied itself into knots, and still she didn’t ease up on her relenting pace as she headed straight towards Mercer City. The painting was in the back seat of the car, and every time she glanced in her rearview mirror, she saw the telltale signs of the pink canvas, and the sketch of Lena, drawn over in black, and Kara knew that she was making the right decision. It didn’t stop her from bursting into tears halfway there as panic welled up inside her. She was scared. Scared that Lena would reject her, and scared that she wouldn’t, because either option changed _everything_ , and Kara was scared of what she didn’t know. Kara knew Lena though, and she knew that if there was the slightest chance that she loved her back, she would take it, because she didn’t want to hurt anymore. So she cried and cried, until her tears had cut paths through her makeup, and the back of her hand was black with the mascara she wiped away from her eyes. Her breathing ragged, and hitching every so often, she drove the rest of the way to Lena’s estate in a mess, turning over every possible outcome of the confrontation that was about to happen. A small part of her was relieved at the fact that she was going to be honest, because keeping her feelings locked away had been draining, and it would be a huge weight off her shoulders to just blurt everything out. It would all be over soon; one way or another.

 

            Four hours later, she pulled up to the gates at Lena’s estate, loudly honking the horn as she approached, and winding down the window at the camera and speaker. She was frantic as she said it was her, and the gates slid open, letting her pass through them, and then she was racing off up the long driveway. Coming to a screeching halt, sending a spray of pebbles as the wheel’s span, Kara opened the door, dragging the painting out from the back, and then ran towards the front steps. She took them two at a time and hammered on the heavy wooden door, not stopping until it gave way beneath her hand. The front door was opened by Lena’s butler and a very large puppy, that was clearly still growing, and Kara felt her eyes prickle with tears as Aoife jumped up excitedly, trying to lick her face because she was almost tall enough to do it. It had been two months, and just by looking at the puppy she’d bought Lena, she felt a sharp pain at just how long it had been. The butler had bowed and was in the middle of politely inquiring as to whether Kara would prefer for him to alert Lena to her presence so she could come downstairs, or if she would like to go up, but Kara didn’t even pause to let him finish. She just ran barefoot through the house, her feet pounding on the steps as she hauled the canvas along with her, frantically heading towards Lena’s rooms. Hector was outside, and his eyes widened in surprised, and Kara wasn’t sure whether it was because her makeup was a mess from crying in the car, and the fact that she was barefoot and lugging a painting along with her as if her life depended on it, or whether it was the fact that she was there at _all_. She didn’t even pause outside the door, she just awkwardly juggled the canvas, while she tried to open the door, until she somehow managed to turn it, and all but fell into the room. Stumbling forward a few steps, Kara froze, taking in the sight of Lena sitting on the sofa, reading a book and drinking some wine. Lena froze too, before she dropped the wineglass and it shattered on the floor, sending a pool of red seeping across the tiled floor. The sound of tinkling glass seemed to break the spell, and Kara kicked the door shut behind her, tossing the painting to the side as she looked at Lena.

 

            “You lied. You’re a liar.”

 

 _“Excuse me_ ,” Lena coolly said, scowling at Kara as she climbed to her feet.

 

            “You didn’t know the photographer was there! You didn’t- you didn’t know he was there and you kissed me because you _wanted_ to. Admit it.”

 

            She watched as Lena stiffened at the accusation, and saw the anger in her eyes, “go home, Kara.”

 

            Letting out a slightly hysterical laugh, Kara almost tripped over her feet in her desperation to reach the liquor cabinet. Shakily pouring herself a full glass of scotch, she drained it, coughing and spluttering as it burnt her throat on the way down, and then refilled it. Slamming the bottle back down, and picking up her glass in a trembling hand, she turned around. Exhaling slowly, she ran a hand through her hair and stared at Lena. “You still think you’re using me,” Kara said, “you still think you’re lying to everyone, but you’re lying to _yourself._ ”

 

            Lena scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest as a flicker of anger crossed her face, “God, you’re so bloody entitled. You come into _my_ home and call _me_ a liar? What, because _you_ got caught up in the lie?”

 

             _“Bullshit,”_ Kara swore, gritting her teeth in frustration, “you can’t tell me that everything in private wasn’t real. That’s bullshit and you _know_ it. It- it hasn’t been fake for ages, and you’re lying to yourself if you think it has. It stopped being fake _long_ before either of us even realized it.”

 

            A flicker of emotion crossed Lena’s face, but her mask was soon back in place, and she sat back down on the sofa as she let out a cold laugh. It only fueled Kara’s frustration, and Lena blinked in surprise at the sound she made, tipping back the scotch and draining that glass too. “I don’t know why you came, but I can’t give you what you want. There’s no need to make this harder than it needs to be,” Lena said, her voice uneven and thick with emotion. Her mask wasn’t as good as she thought.

 

            “Don’t pretend that you don’t want me,” Kara said, “you started this; y-you _hated_ me. You hated me, and then you _kissed_ me. You made the first move, Lena.”

 

            “A drunken kiss isn’t a bloody relationship, you silly cow,” Lena snapped.

 

            Choking on a small sound of surprise, Kara slammed the glass down on the table and picked up the painting she’d tossed aside. “Look at this. Look at it, Lena, and tell me what you see. Tell me what you _feel_. You’re the one who’s always spouting what art means – what does this mean? What did my sketches mean?”

 

            Lena looked up, a vacant look in her eyes as she stared at the painting, and she shrugged. “I don’t feel anything; it means nothing.”

 

            “You- ugh! You are so _frustrating!_ You think you’re undeserving of love, but that’s _not_ true! We’re not perfect, Lena. This whole life is just smoke and mirrors, used to make everyone _think_ that we are, but we-we’ve been pretending that we’ve been in love this whole time, and … for all the cracks and flaws in it, I-I  _did_ fall in love with you. You’re a coward, Lena Luthor, and you won’t admit that I’m _perfect_ for you. And _god_ , you’re just- you’re perfect for  _me_. You are _everything_ , and I can’t … I don’t give a shit about the money and the titles. I never wanted _any_ of that; I only want you. I want you so badly that it _hurts_ , and love isn’t supposed to hurt, it’s supposed to make you feel _good_ , but I haven’t felt good in a long time.”

 

            “Well things aren’t perfect, Kara,” Lena exploded, “I-I don’t know what you want from me. I can’t- I can’t _give_ you anything. You won’t like the real me.”

 

            Letting out a breathless laugh, Kara shook her head as she gave Lena a lopsided smile, “I know the real you, and I love _that_ you more than I _ever_ loved the one I did in front of the cameras. I love you exactly as you are.”

 

            “You don’t, you’re just in love with the _idea_ of the person I was while we faked it,” Lena told her, a pained smile on her face as she gave Kara a pitying look.

 

            “Why are you so _scared_? What are you afraid of?” Kara exclaimed, her growing louder as her frustration grew.

 

            “You! I’m afraid of you!” Lena exploded, and the following silence was almost deafening after the arguing. Kara stared at her in shock, and Lena let out a shaky breath, sniffing as she looked down at the floor.

 

            They were both silent for a moment, and all Kara could hear was her heart beating loud in her chest. “Me?”

 

            “You’ve ruined my life by doing this to me,” Lena said, her voice wobbling as she looked back up, staring at Kara with wide eyes filled with fear.

 

            “I didn’t do _anything!”_ Kara quietly protested.

 

            “You did!” Lena insisted, sounding slightly hysterical as she laughed, “you made me into a liar, because I love you, but how could I tell you that? _You_ did this to me, because how could I _not_ fall in love with you?” She couldn’t say it to Kara’s face, and so she stared intently at the tiled floor while Kara stared at her open mouthed. “I’m _furious_ at you for making me feel like this. I’ve become e-everything that I _hate_. I lied to myself, I lied to _you_. I’ve _never_ been a liar, but now I am one, because how could I tell you?”

 

            Kara let out a breathless sob, “why didn’t you tell me?”

 

            “Because I would rather marry you and _hate_ you,” Lena said, her voice cracking as she spoke. There was genuine fear in her eyes as she ran a hand through her hair.

 

            “Why?”

 

            “Because then I wouldn’t have to think about you falling out of love with me. At least I would know it’s not _real_. Don’t you get it? There’s no happy ending to this story, Kara. Sure, it’ll be happy for a while, because we love each other, but then … then it falls apart, and someone leaves, or someone cheats, or- or it all goes well but someone _still_ dies. You know how this goes, Kara, we’ve seen it with out parents. Two people can’t be in love and life happily ever after, because eventually it ends badly,” Lena said, her shoulders heaving as she drew in a deep breath and exhaled forcefully, trying to get herself under control. She was struggling to breathe, and everything hurt, and Kara was rooted to the spot, feeling her heart break for Lena, because even though they both felt the same way, she was _still_ resisting it, and it was _infuriating_. Lena didn’t want this.

 

            “Well go then. Leave,” Kara hoarsely replied.

 

            Lena let out a sharp laugh, giving Kara a tearful smile that dimpled her cheeks. “I can’t. I’m not breaking the contract now. It’s gone too far for me to just _give up_. Not now.”

 

            Kara’s mouth was dry, and her tongue felt thick in her mouth as she spoke, “Lucy found an out. That’s why I came here, to give you the option to leave … and to get you to tell the truth.”

 

            “What out?” Lena sharply asked.

 

            “One clause of the contract refers to use by our titles … mine was princess. It said they would tell the princesses, but the didn’t tell me as the _princess,_ they told me as the _queen_. The contract … it’s invalid because of that clause, and we can fight it in court if your mom tries to deny it. Lucy said it’ll stand up. You’re free to go.”

 

            “I’m free?” Lena breathlessly asked, a hopeful look on her face, and it broke Kara’s heart to think that even though Lena had admitted her feelings, she still felt relieved at the fact that she could escape Kara. After everything they’d been through, and how they felt about each other … it wasn’t enough.

 

            Kara nodded, a bitter taste in her mouth as she spoke, blinking back the tears that pricked her eyes. “I hope you’re happy, Lena. Truly,” Kara quietly said, her voice low so it wouldn’t crack on the words. They both stared at each other for a few moments, neither of them saying a thing as Kara waited for Lena to confirm her fears, that Lena was going to tell her to leave, and that would be the end of it all.

 

            “I’m happy with _you_ ,” Lena blurted out, “when I’m with you … I’m _so_ happy. So, so happy, and then … I leave, and it all comes crashing back down on me, and I _hate_ myself for feeling like that when I’m not with you. I hate that I can’t- I can’t get over you.”

 

            “Lena,” Kara whispered, the longing and hurt clear in her voice as she gave Lena a pained look. She wondered how they had ended up here – how everything had gone _so_ wrong.

 

            Lena hesitated for a moment, before she pressed her lips together in a tight line and shook her head, before letting out a pent up breath. “Say it. I need to hear you say it first.”

 

            “Lena-“

 

            “Please, Kara, please … I need to know for sure.”

 

            In that moment, Kara realized just how broken Lena was, and just how _strong_ she was, because she had admitted her feelings, but she’d also admitted her fears. She needed reassurance, she needed Kara to tell her she loved her, and without it, she wouldn’t be able to trust herself to have the courage to jump into this.

 

            “I love you,” Kara said, her voice cracking as she started to cry, “and I don’t want to be in love with you if you don’t love me back. You said that I might fall out of love with you, b-but I won’t, because I’ve _tried_. God, I tried _so_ hard to stop loving you, for _months_ , and I couldn’t. I couldn’t, and no matter what you say, or what you do, I-I can’t help but fall _more_ in love with you. We can do it for real this time; we can be together. We can have _real_.”

 

            “This is the realest thing I’ve ever known,” Lena quietly said, her voice wavering as she spoke, “I-I would do it all again - all of it - every single second.”

 

            And then words weren’t enough, and this time it was Kara that kissed her, because words couldn’t convey the true extent of her feelings. She closed the gap between them, and it wasn’t like their last kiss, or any of the ones before it. It was slow and sweet, and she tangled her hand in Lena’s hair, and cradled her face as they both gently kissed, and Kara didn’t know just how large the hole that Lena had left behind had been, not until it had been filled, and tears ran down her cheeks as she felt her stomach flutter. Lena pulled back slightly, her forehead resting again Kara’s and her lips trembling, and Kara realized that she was crying too.

 

            “Kara,” she whispered, and the way Lena said her name made her crumble to pieces, and Kara couldn’t stop the small sob that fell past her lips. Her hand untangled itself from Lena’s dark hair, and her other hand fell away from her face, until she had both arms wrapped tightly around Lena, and she cried into her shoulder, while Lena lowered them both slowly to the ground. Kara could feel Lena shaking in her arms, and she let out a strangled laugh, pulling back and giving her a teary smile.  Reaching up with shaky fingers, she wiped Lena’s tears away and placed kisses all over her cheeks while Lena laughed. Some days it hurt to love someone else, and some days it hurt a little less, but she wasn’t scared to love her anymore. They sat on the floor for a few minutes, both of them trying to stop crying as they laughed in embarrassment, their breathing hitching every so often as they sniffed and wiped at their tears.

 

            Eventually, Kara climbed to her feet, reaching down to help Lena to her own, and they were both face to face, and gave each other small smiles, feeling shy all of a sudden. Lena pulled away from Kara, walking over to the liquor cabinet and pouring them both shaky glasses of gin, and handing one to Kara. Taking a small sip of her drink, Kara watched as Lena walked into her bedroom and returned a moment later with a small black book. Kara felt her cheeks warm, and she let out a nervous laugh as she followed Lena over to the sofa and sat down next to her, their knees knocking and shoulders brushing.

 

            “I never looked,” Lena quietly told her, and Kara’s head jerked up as she looked at Lena in surprise.

 

            “Never?” she asked, blinking in surprise when Lena shook her head, “but why?”

 

            “I didn’t want to invade your privacy,” Lena murmured, giving her a slight smile as she handed the sketchbook to Kara. “I don’t know what they mean to me; I never saw them.”

 

            Kara let out a surprised laugh, taking a sip of her gin and setting it down on the coffee table, before angling her body slightly more towards Lena and opening the book to the first page. A rough sketch of Lena reading stared back at them from the white page, and Kara hesitated slightly, before she looked up at Lena. “It’s you – all of them.”

 

            Lena reached out and took the sketchbook from her, carefully turning the pages and staring down at sketch after sketch of her likeness. She flipped through them in silence, and Kara felt a lump form in her throat as she watched the way that she frowned slightly, her fingers so delicate with the pages, and the way her shoulders hunched slightly as she pored over the pages. Kara wanted to sketch her right then; she was as beautiful as ever. Once she’d reached the end, she snapped the sketchbook shut and held it out to Kara, who silently took it, and she met Lena’s intense stare. “Why?”

 

            Exhaling slowly, Kara shrugged self-consciously, peeking up at Lena as she nervously adjusted her glasses. “Because I- you- it, uh, I think I was in love with you long before I realized. I didn’t know – not for ages – but when I did … I realized that I’d been sketching you. First your features, and then all of you. Just a few times at first, until by the time I reached the end of this one, I realized that it was _all_ you. Y-you see, I got from you … I got the rush that you get from driving fast, and sneaking out of the palace, and pissing of your mom. You give me that rush … and so I’d sit there, and I’d draw you, and the entire time my heart would be pounding in me chest. You’d brush your hair off your shoulders, or flip that page of a book, and I would just _have_ to draw you. And that feeling grew, until I could see you with my eyes closed, and I could draw every inch of your face from my memory, because it’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen in my life. And your eyes … it took me so long to get them right. You show much gentleness and strength, and it took me so long to realize that I loved you for it, and I … loved you for every other reason too, and when I realized it, I couldn’t tell you. I wish I’d been able to, but I’d been _so_ scared, and I couldn’t say anything so I had to draw it. I thought that if I drew you, I’d be able to make it hurt less, but god, it hurt _more_. I thought if I just drew you, beautiful and cold, that I could keep you at a distance, but I realized that there was no coming back from it, and I realized that I would never see you in the same way again. You can’t force yourself _not_ to love someone, no matter how much I tried, and I wish that I hadn’t tried, and that I’d had the courage to do it sooner ... but it felt so much safer to stay quiet.”

 

            By the time she’d finished rambling, Kara was blushing and had her head ducked town, feeling silly for revealing so much of herself, and she didn’t see the flicker of emotions run across Lena’s face. The pain, the love, the happiness, and the sadness. When Kara looked up, all she saw was the sharp angles of Lena’s face, and the scared look in her eyes. “I-I need t-to be honest with you,” Lena stammered, her face white with fear.

 

            Kara frowned in confusion, reaching out and taking Lena’s hand in her own, raising it to her lips and pressing a quick kiss to the back of it, before holding it in her lap as she gave Lena a crooked smile, “I thought you never lied.”

 

            “I’m the reason you were shot.”


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the delay, I've been having back to back breakdowns about reputation, but we did it lads

            Kara let out a confused laugh, a crinkle forming between her eyebrows as she tilted her head to the side and looked at Lena. She didn’t draw away, because she knew that she would lose Lena if she rejected her now, and she didn’t know what she was talking about anyway, because Lena wouldn’t have tried to kill her. Kara knew that without a shadow of a doubt, because for all her faults, she wasn’t a bad person. “What’re you talking about,” Kara laughed again, her smile faltering slightly.

 

            “I- it’s-“ Lena’s face was pained as she looked at Kara, her eyes pleading with her, and Kara gave her a small smile, and it seemed to be enough to bolster Lena’s courage, because she took a deep breath and looked down at their entwined hands. “I’ve … been donating money to- to an anti-monarchist organization.”

 

            “What?” Kara laughed, her confusion growing at Lena’s admission.

 

            “The shooter, Siobhan … she’s the leader of an anti-monarchist organization. I’ve- I, uh, I’ve been funding them.”

 

            Feeling numb, Kara just stared at her, watching as Lena kept her head ducked down. It didn’t make sense, and she wasn’t sure what to make of it, because why would Lena fund an anti-monarchist movement when she was _part_ of a monarchy? She had spent months in a fake relationship because she wouldn’t give up her title, and now she was saying she had funded an attack on Kara and everything she represented. Her voice was hoarse when she replied, feeling a sharp pain in her chest, “why?”

 

            “I didn’t know- I would never- you know that I would _never_ agree to that, Kara. Please tell me you know I wouldn’t. I _love_ you, and I realized it that day. It had been growing for so long, but the thought of losing you … it was like it woke something up inside me, and I just _knew_. I would never have let them hurt you,” Lena desperately said, a begging look written all over her face as she looked up and met Kara’s wary eyes.

 

            “I don’t understand,” Kara quietly told her.

 

            “You _know_ how I feel about my family, and I was eighteen when I met that woman. What she was saying made _sense_ to me; we don’t need monarchies. They’re a drain on the economy, and all we do is show up at charity events and it’s not like we make a difference. All those Russian historical fiction books … it was one of the biggest downfalls of a monarchy, and god, everything that went wrong then is _still_ happening. The economy and- and society, it’s all still messed up. Here, in Krypton, in Daxam. We’re not like the European monarchies, and we’re surrounded by all of these people who don’t _need_ us or care about us, and that’s the whole reason why we got into this stupid bloody contract in the first place. I started donating money to them, for rallies and- and protests. Not _assassination attempts_. I don’t- I would never, not even for my own family. I saw her on the TV after she was arrested and I just … I knew that it was my fault.”

 

            Kara’s mouth was open, but she couldn’t make a sound come out, she just stared at Lena with wide eyes, shaking her head back and forth as she let Lena desperately cling to her hands. Breaking herself out of her shock, she blinked in surprise, as if she didn’t recognize the person sitting in front of her, and she realized that maybe she _didn’t._ “Why didn’t you just let the contract fail? There would be no popularity, there’d be no title for you. Your kingdom would’ve been weaker for it.”

 

            Lena let out a tense laugh, “you can’t fund a rebellion if you don’t have funds.”

 

            “That’s why you were adamant to stay,” Kara said, realization dawning on her face.

 

            “Yes.”

 

            “Lena,” Kara groaned, gritting her teeth and letting out a frustrated groan, “how could you be so _stupid?_ Do you know what’ll happen if this gets back to you? _”_

            “It won’t. I’ve never donated directly to them – how could I with my name and title? – and the financial trail is untraceable. I was careful, Kara. Do you know what my mom would’ve done if she found out?” Lena gave her a pained smile, and Kara could see the need in her eyes for Kara to understand why she had done it, and in some ways, she did. Lena had never liked her family, and she had protested against most of the values that their social class held, so of course she would think that abolishing the monarchy would make sense.

 

            Opening and closing her mouth, Kara shifted a bit closer to her, raising their joined hands and looking down at them as she tried to find the words. “Did- did they kill my family?”

 

            She heard Lena’s sharp inhale at the question, and Kara was tense as she waited for the answer, praying that it was the one she wanted. The pause before Lena answered seemed to drag on forever, and Kara barely dared to breathe, but then it came and she let out a relieved sigh. “No. They would’ve taken credit for it if they did.”

 

            “Okay.”

 

            They sat there for a moment, and then Kara dropped Lena’s hands and climbed to her feet, leaving Lena to scramble up after her with panic in her eyes. “Kara-“

 

            “I need a drink,” she cut Lena off, before she got the wrong idea, and she leant down to pick up both of their glasses while Lena slowly sank back down onto the sofa. Neither of them spoke until Kara had filled both of their glasses up with whiskey, and then putting the bottle under her arm as she carried them across the room. Handing one to Lena, she set the bottle down on the coffee table and sat back down beside her. “You understand that I can’t have something like this attached to my name, right? I can’t have this kind of thing ruining my reputation.”

 

            “I’ll do anything,” Lena desperately blurted out, “anything you want to fix it. I’m sorry, I’m _so_ sorry, Kara. I know I made a mistake, and I did something bad, and I won’t try and say that I didn’t just because I didn’t know, because I still did it. I just- I can’t lose you. Please.” Her eyes were filled with tears, and Kara felt her heart twinge at the sight, because she hated to see Lena in pain. It was up to her now; it was her choice to let Lena stay, or push her away. All the pieces had fallen into place though, and as Kara sat there, she didn’t feel the ache in her chest that had been there for _months_. She couldn’t go back to that again.

 

            Letting out a shuddering breath, Kara drained her drink and then turned to Lena, grabbing her face in her hands and roughly kissing her. Maybe it was the drinking, but Kara just needed to kiss her, because they had spent enough time not kissing while they both lied to themselves and each other. “I’m not going to throw this away,” Kara breathlessly said when she pulled back, “I don’t care what you did; you didn’t pull the trigger. It doesn’t matter, I love you for you, not what you’ve done. Y-you said that you’re scared that it’ll end, and I ... I can’t make you any promises, Lena, but I want you. I don’t want to miss you again.”

 

            Her hands were up in Lena’s hair, and their foreheads were resting against each other as they sat there, and Lena’s bottom lip trembled as she let out a shaky breath, and her voice cracked as she spoke, “you don’t hate me?”

 

             _“Never_ , _”_ Kara breathlessly admitted, “but I need you to stop. I need you to cut off any ties with them, and I need to know that you want to be with me as I am. I won’t give up my throne and let it go to Daxam, and I won’t call for it to be abolished. I’m in, completely, and I need to know that you are too. I need to know that you’re okay with this lifestyle, and if you’re not then we’re going to need to have a serious talk about what we both want. No more hiding. I don’t want you to make this decision now; I don’t want you to give up a big part of yourself if you’re not sure, and I know you might say you’re sure now, but just … think about it, please. Let’s leave it for tonight, and we’ll figure it all out in a couple of days when we’ve had the chance to process things. We’ll talk to our lawyers as well, and see what we can do about … everything. I just- I just want to be with you tonight. Just for at least one night.”

 

            “I’ll do anything you want. I just want you, more than anything I’ve ever wanted. I know it’s going to be hard, and I know that I’m not bloody good at this, but I’ll stay, Kara. I’ll give it all up, I’ll- I’ll be a bloody queen, I’ll marry you. Just … you’re worth more than all of it, and I don’t want to lose you. I can’t lose you; you’re all I have. Everything that I think about us … it doesn’t matter when you’re around, because you’re not a queen with me. You’re just you, and I just _want_ you.”

 

            Kara let out a surprised laugh, drawing back from Lena and giving her an amused smile, “marry me, huh? Did you forget that the contract is broken? We can do whatever we want now.”

 

            “I want you.”

 

            And then they were kissing again Kara smiled into it, and then they were both laughing, and Kara left clumsy lipstick marks on Lena’s jaw and throat as she pushed her down on the sofa. She wasn’t sure if it was too soon to be doing this, and she knew that they still had a lot of delicate subjects to talk about, but they were caught up in the moment, and riding the high of their admissions of love. Everything fell into place, and they just kissed, trusting the other to love them as their desperate hearts tried to make up for all the pain and suffering they’d brought upon themselves. Something happened inside them both for the first time; it felt right. They’d kissed countless times since they’d become victims to the contract, but it had never felt as right as it did then. All at once it was like everything they’d been waiting for came together. Every touch seemed to set Kara’s skin on fire, and she wanted Lena’s hands everywhere, and the slow gentle touches were driving her crazy. It was even better than she’d dreamt, and Kara could barely think straight as Lena kissed her neck.

 

            And then there was a knock on the door, and they both shot upright. Lena was in Kara’s lap, and they were both breathing heavily as they stared at each other with wild eyes, and Kara was cursing whoever was on the other side of the door. The knock came again, and Kara squeezed her eyes shut at the sound of the voice that floated through the door. “Lena? Is Kara here?” Alex asked, sounding slightly panicked.

 

            Shooting Kara a confused look, Lena raised her eyebrows slightly, and Kara shrugged and gave her a sheepish smile, “I, uh, might’ve left in a bit of a rush, with no explanation.”

 

            Quietly laughing, Lena climbed off her lap and gestured towards the door, “would you like to tell your sister that you’re okay? I feel like I might not be very … _polite_ right now.” Laughing, Kara climbed to her feet, fixing her dress as she walked towards the door and opened it a crack. She blinked in surprise as she came face to face with Alex, as well as Maggie and Sam, and she tried to keep her face blank as she stared at them.

 

            “Hey, yeah, um, I’m here. Is the car not parked outside? I guess they might’ve moved it. Um, yeah we’re just … talking things through, but I’m okay,” Kara said, giving Alex a hesitant smile.

 

            Her sister just pursed her lips slightly and raised her eyebrows, “Kara, you have lipstick _all_ over your face.”

 

            “Oh,” Kara mumbled, feeling her face turn bright red, and she heard Lena’s loud laugh from behind her and realized that Lena had known that she was covered in lipstick, because she’d put it there. Maggie and Sam were laughing too, and Alex rolled her eyes.

 

            “Please don’t run off like that without guards again; you know that security is still on high alert right now. I was worried. Sam gave me a rundown of what happened so I figured you’d come here, but I had to see for myself,” Alex said, giving her a small smile, and Kara let out a shy laugh, ducking her head as she got all flustered.

 

            “Yeah, uh, well, I’m okay,” Kara said, pushing her glasses up her nose as she smiled.

 

            “Go on,” Alex said, jerking her chin up to gesture inside the room, “finish your … _talk_. We’ll see you in the morning.”

 

            Blushing even more, Kara let out a nervous laugh, “goodnight.”

 

\---

 

            She woke up the next morning feeling disoriented. Sunlight was streaming in through the open curtains, and an arm was thrown across her waist, and Kara squinted blindly as she made out the dark haired figure sleeping beside her. Then everything came rushing back to her, and an overwhelming feeling of happiness rushed through Kara, and she found herself tearing up at just how happy she actually was. After months of misery, and even more months of thinking she could never have love because of the contract, she was in love with Lena, and she loved her back. Kara didn’t think she could any happier, and she wiped at her eyes as she sniffed.

 

            “Are you okay?” Lena mumbled, looking up at her with green eyes filled with concern. Kara let out a tearful laugh, wiping at her face as she looked down at Lena and rolled over slightly so that she could cup her cheek and place a kiss on her lips.

 

            Pulling back, Kara shifted further up the pillows, and Lena rolled onto her stomach, resting her chin in her hand as she gazed up at Kara. “Yeah, I just … I’m a little overwhelmed. I kind of forgot what it’s like to feel happy, you know? So much bad kind of got in the way of it all, for the longest time, and I just … I _forgot_.”

 

            Lena looked down as she trailed her fingertip along Kara’s collarbone, and there was some tenseness in her shoulders as Kara reached out and brushed her hair out of her face and caressed the side of it. “Do you- do you think I’ll make you happy?”

 

            Kara’s face softened, and she gave Lena a tender smile, “you already do. Everything about last night has been … the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and everything I want.”

 

            “I’ve had better,” Lena smirked, and Kara’s smile faltered slightly. Her eyes widening, Lena scrambled to correct herself, “I’m bloody joking, Kara. I actually- I, uh, well, I don’t have anything to compare it to.” She climbed out of bed and slipped into her closet, and Kara’s eyes lingered on her body as she watched Lena slip a fluffy robe on and fetch another one.

 

            “What, but you-“

 

 _“You_ make a lot of assumptions about me,” Lena said, giving her a pointed look as she threw her the robe, and Kara gave her a sheepish smile, shrugging on the robe and tying it around her waist.

 

            “Oh.”

 

            Lena laughed, shaking her head and walking over to the bed. She reached out and cupped Kara’s face in her hands, ducking down to place a gentle kiss on Kara’s lips, before pulling back and giving her a small smile. “I’ve never had anything better than you, not need to get jealous. Now, come on, we need to have breakfast and get ready.”

 

            “Where are we going?” Kara asked, frowning slightly.

 

            A slow smile stretched across Lena’s face, and Kara narrowed her eyes slightly in suspicion. Lena’s smile only got brighter, “it’s time to pay my dear mother a visit and have a lovely little chat. I’ve never been so excited to see the old cow in my whole life.”

 

            Kara laughed and climbed out of bed, following Lena towards the bathroom. They showered quickly, and Kara borrowed some of Lena’s clothes, and then they had breakfast and were soon ready to go. Lena was brimming with excitement, and Kara couldn’t help but laugh as she watched the way she bounced her leg and fidgeted with her hands. If there was one thing Lena liked, it was opposing her mom, and this would be one of the most satisfying things for her, and Kara wasn’t going to stop her. She wouldn’t let Lillian, or Lex for that matter, attack her either, but she would stay back in the confrontation and let Lena fight for them on her own terms. Kara had come to her and pushed for her to admit her feelings, and now, she would let Lena go to her mother and tell her how things were going to be. This time it was Lena’s turn to fight, and Kara felt a flicker of uneasiness as they neared the palace, because she didn’t trust Lillian to just _drop_ it. This was years of planning in the making, and she wouldn’t be too happy at them breaking it, and Kara wondered what she would do to get Lena under her control again.

 

            They pulled up outside the doors to the palace, and Lena grabbed Kara’s hand and determinedly pulled her along as they ran up the front steps and into the building. Stopping the nearest staff member, Lena asked where her mother was, and she was soon speeding through twisting corridors, until she stopped outside Lillian’s office and pushed the door open. Her mom looked up at the interruption, raising an eyebrow at her wide eyed daughter, looking triumphant. Kara hung back, quietly shutting the door and lingering near it as she watched Lena storm forward with her own photocopy of the contract and slam it down on the desk in front of Lillian.

 

            “We’re done,” Lena smugly told her, “we found a way out, and it’ll stand up in court. If you want to make it public, then by all means, have at it, but I’d save face and talk to Miss Lane with your lawyers. You can take your shitty contract and shove it up your ass, along with any respect I had left for you, which was minimal to begin with. I’m done with your games, mom, and I don’t just mean this one, I mean all of them. No more playing nice for the family image; I’m done. I don’t want anything to do with you, or this family.”

 

            Kara felt pride well up inside her, and she pressed her lips together to stop herself from smiling as she hid at the end of the room. She didn’t go unnoticed by Lillian though, who pushed her chair back and climbed to her feet, rounding the desk and leaning against it as she stared coolly at her daughter, before her eyes slid to Kara. “Make no mistake, Lena, I can’t take your title off you without a legal reason, but I can cut you off financially. Let’s be honest here, the money was the main reason why you agreed to it in the first place, wasn’t it? You can’t have this life without the money. And you, Your Majesty, well, you’ll come out on top. You won’t lose anything, except your publicity.”

 

            “Lena doesn’t need your money,” Kara said, “I have enough for both of us.”

 

            “Ah, is this a settlement to break it off?” Lillian coldly laughed, “how much is she asking you for? It has to be a lot to make up for the amount I’ll take.”

 

            Letting out a sharp laugh, Lena gave Lillian a tight smile, “I haven’t asked for a single penny off her. I don’t care about the money, mom. See, you raised me to be like this, all cold and distrusting, but I’m not _like_ you, and I don’t want to be like you. I won’t put money above my feelings, so if I have to give it all up, then I will.”

 

            “Oh dear lord, you _love_ her?” Lillian laughed incredulously. “Please tell me you’re not _that_ stupid, Lena. Do you think that she’ll _keep_ loving you? Relationships in the spotlight never work – I tried to save you from that – and you’ll just end up a sad, broken little girl. You would’ve been better off sticking with the contract.”

 

            Kara watched as Lena stiffened, and her eyes flickered to Kara’s face, and whatever she saw on there – whatever love and reassurance – it bolstered her courage, and Lena stubbornly jutted her chin forward. “Yes, I do love her, and I’ll love her on my own terms – not yours. You can’t control me anymore.”

 

            “We’ll see,” Lillian haughtily replied, “I sure hope you have nothing to hide. It’d be a shame if it got out, wouldn’t it?”

 

            Taking a few steps forward, Kara held her hand out towards Lena, who crossed over to her and slipped her hand into Kara’s. Giving her hand a quick squeeze, Kara kept her eyes on Lena’s face as she watched her turn towards her mom. “If you ever loved me then just let go. You’ll still get what you want, to some degree – we love each other – and just because you can’t control me, it doesn’t mean that I’m going to stop loving her.”

 

            She didn’t wait for Lillian to reply, she just made for the door, and Kara let herself be pulled along behind her. Hector and Kara’s bodyguards all fell into step behind them as Lena walked back along the path they had come, and Kara was silent as she followed along. It wasn’t until they stepped out onto the top step that Lena stopped, and Kara paused, watching as Lena closed her eyes, tipped her head back and let out a shaky breath. Her shoulders dropped as all of the tension bled out of them, and then her eyes flew open and she looked at Kara and let out an elated laugh. Kara laughed too, understanding that Lena felt free for the first time in her whole life. She’d been dependent on her mom, but never really having her mom, but now she had Kara, and she didn’t need her mom or her money if that was what Lillian was going to threaten her with. To Kara’s surprise, Lena reached up and urgently kissed her, and Kara melted into it, cupping her cheek and running her thumb along Lena’s cheekbone.

 

            “I feel … I don’t know,” Lena murmured when she drew back, and her sea green eyes sparkled with happiness and love, “I’ve never felt happiness like this in my life. Thank you, Kara.”

 

            “I want you to always feel like this,” Kara told her, giving her a soft smile, “every day, all the time, I just- it’s all I want for you.”

 

            Kissing her on the cheek, Lena let out another laugh, and then she was pulling Kara down the steps and into the back of the waiting car. Neither of them could stop smiling as they drove back through the city, heading towards the tea house they had planned to meet Alex, Maggie and Sam for brunch. They parked down the end of the street, and there was something so freeing about walking down the street hand in hand, knowing that this was the first time they were doing it without it being fake. This time, the camera flashes would be the capturing of genuine love, and while it still made Lena uncomfortable to have a real relationship invaded by strangers with cameras, she knew they were taking them this time, and she still held tightly onto Kara’s hand, like it was a lifeline. The late early spring air was cool, and they were bundled up in their coats to chase away the chill, but they both felt warm inside, and couldn’t help but smile as they walked down the street.

 

            Before they neared the tea house, they passed a man standing with a stack of newspapers at his feet, and one in hand, and Lena let out a loud laugh as she looked at the photo on the front. Kara let out a groan when she saw the picture of herself, barefoot on stage, with the canvas in her arms, and she felt her cheek turn slightly pink as Lena bought one. Shaking it out, Lena read the front page as they carried on walking. “Bloody hell, love, no wonder you looked rough when you got to mine. I just thought you were having a breakdown on the car ride to mine, but blimey, have you got a bloody screw loose? What were you doing, you silly cow?”

 

            “Buying back my painting!” Kara exclaimed, covering her face with her hand as Lena laughed, “Sam told me the truth and said you gave her a painting to offer, and then Alex came over right while I was in the middle of trying to process things and pointed out the painting, and then I snapped. I kicked my shoes off, grabbed the painting and ran. Why did you give it to Sam?”

 

            “Because it made me feel sad,” Lena said, grimacing slightly, and there was pain in her eyes, “you asked me last night what it made me feel, and it made me feel sad. I know that’s not what I was supposed to feel, and I know that if I looked at it know I’d see what you wanted it to mean, but I was so _sad_. I felt bloody heartbroken because of _course_ I was reading too much into things, and getting ahead of myself, and of _course_ you wouldn’t feel the same way.”

 

            “Of course,” Kara laughed, and Lena smiled as she shook her head, and Kara returned the smile, and that smile held all of the secrets between the two of them, and it felt more private than any other smile they’d shared.

 

            Everything was different now.


	31. Chapter 31

            The next day, Kara called Astra back to Argo City, and spent all morning pacing back and forth in the sitting room while Lena lounged on the sofa with Alex, Maggie and Sam. Lena didn’t seem bothered at all by the following conversation with Astra, but Kara couldn’t help but panic. Her aunt had put so much effort into making everything seem real between them, and Kara was worried about her reaction to the news that they had not only broken the contract, but were now dating outside the control of anyone but themselves. She loved her aunt dearly, but Astra had always put her duty towards Krypton first, and Kara was worried that her aunt would think that Kara was ruining a carefully planned out idea that had been in the making for over decade. It wasn’t like anything was going to change though; the only difference now was that they couldn’t be controlled by anyone, and if things ended, they weren’t stuck in a contract that wouldn’t let them leave without consequences. Kara wasn’t worried about things ending though – she would never leave.

 

            It was almost lunchtime by the time Astra got back from Daxam, and Sam had whisked Alex and Maggie off to Lena’s house to borrow her fencing gear and settle a bet, leaving Kara pacing back and forth while Lena sighed exasperatedly. “Kara, sit down, you’re getting yourself all worked up, you dozy cow.”

 

            Taking a deep breath, Kara crossed over to Lena and sat down next to her. Shifting into a more upright position, Lena reached out for Kara’s hand and took it in her own, placing a gentle kiss to the back of it, before holding it in her lap. “Lena? What if she doesn’t approve?”

 

            “Come on, Kara, do we really need anyone’s approval?” Lena said, giving her a small smile. “If anything, I’d say Eliza’s approval is the most important anyway, because her opinion isn’t laced with any ulterior motives for some bloody shitty contract.”

 

            Letting out a relieved laugh, Kara gave her a small smile, “you’re right, and I know that she’ll approve, so there’s nothing to worry about, right?”

 

            Nodding, Lena gave her a hesitant smile, and Kara didn’t have to ask to know that she was thinking about Lillian. They were both waiting to see what she would do, but at the same time, they knew she couldn’t _really_ do anything. Any petty revenge would fall back on her and Lex too, and it would have the opposite effect of what she’d been hoping for from the contract. At the moment, they were safe.

 

            Astra showed up not long afterwards, curtsying to them both and standing across from Kara as they made polite talk for a few moments. Exhaling forcefully, Kara ran her fingers through her hair, peeking at Lena for support, before looking up at Astra. “We broke the contract,” Kara said, cutting to the chase.

 

            Astra blinked in surprise, falling silent for a moment as Kara’s words sank in. “I don’t understand. Do you know what this means?”

 

            “Lady Astra,” Lena said, climbing to her feet and facing the other woman, “to put it plainly, I love your niece. We found a loophole in the contract, and we’re free from it, but things between us … well, they’re not fake anymore. I hope that you can see that this is a good change.”

 

            “You _love_ each other?” Astra incredulously asked, her eyes widening as she looked at Kara, who was looking a bit pink cheeked and flustered.

 

            “We do,” Kara said, turning to give Lena a loving smile, “and I know this changes things a bit, but it doesn’t have to change the outcome of the contract.”

 

            Astra was silent as she sat down on the sofa, not even waiting for Kara’s permission before she did so. “Ah, well, this changes things, and is … very unexpected. What did the Queen Mother say?”

 

            “I didn’t give her the chance to say much,” Lena haughtily replied, and Astra let out a small laugh, “but I think we should be slightly concerned about what she’ll do next.”

 

            Nodding, Astra pressed her lips together in a grim line. “I’ll talk to her. We’ve spent many years planning this contract; I know how to handle her. Perhaps we can come to an agreement.”

 

            Scoffing slightly, Lena gave Astra a slightly smirk, “I doubt it, but your help’s appreciated, nonetheless.” Astra nodded, a thoughtful look on her face as she sat there in silence for a few moments. Kara watched her aunt with an anxious look on her face, waiting for what came next. It was a few moments before Astra spoke, and she stared intently at Kara.

 

            “You’re sure about this?”

 

            “Of course,” Kara said, sounding mildly offended at her aunt questioning her decision. She would’ve ended the contract whether they loved each other or not, so that part wouldn’t change. The only decision that she had to make here was whether she wanted to be with Lena, and she did.

 

            “And how will things go from here?”

 

            Lena frowned slightly, “what do you mean?’

 

            “Will you come clean about the contract? How are you going to change your relationship, while making it look like it was real the whole time? They think you’ve been dating for over a year now, how will you explain your newfound love for each other without being honest? All these things will have repercussions.”

 

            Kara faltered, and she quickly turned to look at Lena, who turned to meet her gaze. They hadn’t had much chance to talk about all of this, and Kara was waiting until they’d talked about where Lena stood before they got into it all, but Astra had raised some good points. Exhaling slowly, Kara shrugged, “we don’t know yet. We’ll figure it out though.”

 

            “Well, you should come up with a plan soon. We’ll have contracts drawn up and-“

 

            “No contracts,” Lena sharply interrupted her.

 

            Astra’s eyebrows rose slightly, “Your Highness, it’s a safety measure. It helps protect both of you in the case of confidential information, finances, privacy. All of those things.”

 

            “No,” Lena firmly said, and Kara sighed, closing her eyes and leaning back against the sofa. She didn’t want to get into things right now; she was happy and she wanted that to last a little bit longer, before the pressure of their lifestyle came down on them.

 

            “We’ll talk things through,” Kara assured Astra. They were all silent for a few minutes, and Kara fidgeted slightly, “are you staying for dinner?”

 

            Giving her a slight smile, Astra shook her head, “I can’t, I need to get back to Thorul. I’m supposed to be having dinner with Prime Minister Edge. I only came back to see what you wanted.”

 

            “Oh, yeah, right,” Kara said, giving her a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

 

            Glancing down at her watch, Astra climbed to her feet, “I should probably get going, actually. Unless you need me for something else?” Kara shook her head, and climbed to her feet. “Let me know what you decide on and we’ll get this all sorted for you. Come here.”

 

            Giving Astra a hug, Kara smiled slightly, before Astra pulled pack, already digging her ringing phone out of her pocket. It was almost strange to Kara that her aunt was always more busier than her, and actually had a job to do, rather than Kara’s charity work and public appearances and signing of useless documents that gave her little real authority over the issues anyway. It meant that her only surviving blood relative never had enough time for her though, and it always hurt slightly whenever Astra had to run off to do something more important, but Kara was used to it by now. “Bye, Aunt Astra. Have a safe flight.”

 

            “I’ll call you in a few days. I should be back for a day or two before I go to Spain, maybe we can get tea?”

 

            “We’re actually going to Ireland for a while,” Kara blurted out, and she wasn’t sure why she lied, but she realized that she _did_ want to get away, and Ireland would be perfect. In some way, that was the start of it all; that was the turning point in their relationship, where they weren’t anyone other than themselves. She wanted to be herself again, with Lena, and she was hoping she could find that there.

 

            “Oh, well, be safe then,” Astra said, and with a quick goodbye to Lena, she was gone.

 

            Kara flopped back down onto the sofa and closed her eyes as she let out a heavy sigh. It was silent, and she kept waiting for Lena to say something, and when she didn’t, Kara opened her eyes and blinked in surprise when she saw Lena staring straight at her, with a slight frown gracing her face. “What’s the matter?”

 

            Lena’s mouth turned down at the corners, “why didn’t you back me up?”

 

            “What?”

 

            “With the contract. You made it sound like it was an option,” Lena said.

 

            Shrugging slightly, Kara gave her an apologetic smile, “sorry, I just don’t want to test everyone right now. I don’t want to push things.”

 

            “I’m done making other people happy, Kara,” Lena tensely replied, her frown deepening.

 

            “I know! I know,” Kara quickly assured her, reaching for her hand, “and we won’t sign anything, but we _do_ need to talk about a lot of things.”

 

            “So you want to go to Ireland and have a nice bloody chat about whether or not we should still be half lying to everyone? I’m sick of the lies. I won’t lie anymore.”

 

            Shaking her head, Kara gave her a small smile, “Ireland is for us. For you and me. No talk of business, no talk of our families, or contracts and lies. Just us.”

 

            “Just us?”

 

            Kara bit her lip and gave Lena a quick smile, “and maybe Aoife too.”

 

            Lena let out a quick laugh, reaching out to cup Kara’s head and placing a kiss to her temple. “I suppose she can come. When do we leave?”

 

            “Now.”

 

\---

 

            The plane ride had been long, and Lena had fallen asleep with her head in Kara’s lap, and as Kara sketched her, all she could think was that she had thought she knew what Lena looked like from every angle, but this was new. She looked so young, and the way her neck arched made Kara want to reach out and brush her dark hair off her shoulder and trail her fingers along the ivory skin, and savour the thrill of being able to casually touch Lena. She let her sleep though, focusing on getting the little scar under her eyebrow right. Kara loved that little imperfect perfection, and  she couldn’t take her eyes off Lena for the entire duration of the flight, daring to even believe that she was really sat there with the girl she loved sleeping with her head in her lap. Something about being on the plane felt like an in between – one of those places where time didn’t seem to be real – and in the dim lights of the interior of the plane, Kara didn’t want to move or speak, she just wanted to stay there forever.

 

            But the plane landed, and it was completely dark in the early hours of the morning, and somehow the magic stillness of time seemed to follow them into the back of the waiting car. Lena was quiet, blearily staring out the window as she leant her head on Kara’s shoulder, and the passing streetlights soon gave way to the dark countryside, passing by undisturbed. The only sound was the sound of the car, and Kara felt her eyes burn with tiredness as they bumped along the country road, fighting the urge to fall asleep. It seemed like an eternity before they pulled up to Lena’s estate, and they both climbed out of the car, shivering slightly in the cool air as they watched Aoife bound towards the front door, stopping to sniff at a patch of gravel on the driveway. Inside, they went straight upstairs, and they didn’t even get changed into their pyjamas, they just stripped off their coat and shoes, pulling back the covers on Lena’s bed, and fell into a tangle of arms and legs as they wrapped themselves up in each other and fell asleep.

 

            The sun had risen high in the sky by the time they woke up, and Kara groaned slightly as she buried her face in Lena’s shoulder, hoping that sleep would come back. She felt warm lips on her temple and gentle fingers running up her back. “Morning,” Lena whispered, “time to wake up.”

 

            “I just want to stay in bed all day,” Kara grumbled, “just for once.”

 

            “Okay,” Lena said, “let’s stay in bed all day then. There’s not reason why we can’t.”

 

            Kara pushed herself up onto her elbows and raised her eyebrows slightly, “really?”

 

            Smiling, Lena wrinkled her nose slightly and pushed the covers back, “you stay here; I’ll be back with breakfast.”

 

            True to her word, Lena was back fifteen minutes later with a tray piled high with food, and a large, excited Irish wolfhound in tow. The bacon was a little crispy and the yolks on all of the fried eggs were broken, but Kara didn’t care, because she was almost certain that this was the first time Lena had ever made someone breakfast in bed, and it was for _her_. Dressed in yesterday’s clothes, they bundled up under the covers and sipped black coffee and ate toast and they talked about everything and nothing. It was perfect, and Kara’s heart fluttered at the thought of how happy they could be together. Lena had already picked her – she’d said so herself – but Kara had given her that window to make up her mind, and she ached inside for that answer to stay the same, because she couldn’t imagine being without her. It must’ve shown on her face, because Lena wiped the crumbs off her fingers and frowned slightly.

 

            “What is it?”

 

            “I love you,” Kara said, before hesitating slightly, “and that hurts more than I thought it would, but it’s all I want, because it hurts for a reason. It hurts because I’ve lost so many people that I love, and I don’t want to lose you too, because those months away from you … I love you, and I can’t change that.”

 

            “I’ve never been lonely, you know,” Lena quietly replied, “I’ve just- I’ve never felt it, and it wasn’t until you left that I felt it, and I realized that you have to _have_ someone to miss to feel lonely. You took so much away from me when you left, and I only loved you more. Love isn’t perfect, and I accept you as you are, and I … I can’t promise you that I’ll always be warm and loving. I need you to know that, because there will be days when I’m cold, and distant, but that doesn’t mean I don’t _care_. I can be distant and still love you, and I just- I want you to know that before you think that I’m not as committed to this as you are.”

 

            Kara tilted her head to the side, giving Lena a soft smile, “I know. You’ve been hurt before, but you still love so hard, and that’s … it’s brave. It’s brave to love someone, and being brave is the most admirable way to show someone you love them. Thank you for standing up to your mom for us.”

 

            “Come here,” Lena said, taking the tray off the bed and setting it on the nightstand, before opening her arms. Kara smiled and willingly crawled into them, laughing as Aoife crawled further up the bed to be included.

 

            They laid there for hours, and Kara grabbed her sketchbook out of her bag and drew Lena, while she read one of her poetry books aloud to Kara. They’d turned on some soft music in the background at some point, and it was so peaceful, and Kara felt more relaxed than she had last time she’d come here. There was just something about the two of them alone together, in the middle of nowhere, that made her forget about everything else, and she was hoping that this week would be good for them both. They could figure things out without any pressure to do it quickly.

 

            So they took their time, and the thrill of slowly uncovering new things about each other was a bigger rush than anything else. The hours slipped by slowly, and it was almost midnight when they finally left the bed in favour of a bubble bath. They sat in the hot water, their hair messily done up in buns and glasses of red wine in hand, facing each other as they absentmindedly played with the bubbles, their piercing eyes locked onto each others.

 

            “Do you remember the first time we met?” Lena asked, arching an eyebrow as she took a sip of wine.

 

            “Uh, yes,” Kara immediately replied, “I was terrified.”

 

            Lena choked on the wine, some of it sloshing out of the glass in her hand and splashing into the bath, turning the bubbles red. She clapped a hand to her mouth as she coughed, before she gave Kara a dimpled smile. “Why?”

 

            “You had a lot of piercings and you were wearing that scary black leather jacket with the studs – the one you got detention for every day because you kept wearing it instead of your school blazer – and you had that frown. You still have that frown, but there was just something about that on the face of a scary looking teenager, who was supposed to be a _princess,_ that just … you were very intimidating.”

 

            “Intimidating,” Lena laughed, throwing her head back, and Kara rolled her eyes as she blushed slightly. “I was too shy to even talk to you, I’m not sure about intimidating.”

 

            Kara’s eyebrows shot up and her mouth fell open. Scoffing, she shook her head, “shy? You? You’ve never been shy about anything in your life.”

 

            “Uh, okay, miss popular, perfect princess. Can you imagine being the weirdo new girl going through a stubborn asshole phase – which admittedly, might still be happening – and getting paired with the darling of the country? Everyone wanted to _be_ you, and I couldn’t even hate you because you were almost _too_ nice. It was infuriating.”

 

            Laughing, Kara drained her glass of wine and reached over the side of the bath to set it down on the floor. The water ebbed back and forth at Kara’s movement, and then as the lunged at Lena, it rose over the side of the bath, splashing onto the tiles and pooling on the floor. Kara didn’t care though, and she grabbed Lena’s face, peppering kisses to her face and neck while Lena squirmed and laughed as it tickled. Soon enough they were both laughing, and Kara squinted with her bad eyesight, smiling as she looked at Lena. Her lips were stained red from the wine, and Kara wanted to kiss her more than anything, and she leant forward and pressed the gentlest of kisses against her lips, before pulling back and settling back against the edge of the bathtub. And then Lena was splashing more water on the floor as she chased after her, roughly kissing her as she brushed back the wet hair plastered to Kara’s face, gently caressing her cheek as Kara kissed her back.

 

            They fell back into bed after their bath, wearing clean pyjamas and nursing cups of what Kara deemed the best hot chocolate ever, and they fell asleep to the sound of a smattering of rain hitting the windows, mixing in with the soft classical music coming from the record player in the corner. They hadn’t meant to fall asleep, but the even sounds of each other’s breathing, and the feeling of arms wound round shoulders and chests, was enough to lull them into it, and they went willingly, feeling safe in each other’s embrace. When they woke up in each other’s arms the next morning, it felt like they’d been doing it for years.


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m on holiday again so I had to quickly type this on my phone, so please excuse any errors lol

  They spent almost two weeks in Ireland, and every single moment of it was perfect. No work or publicity got in the way, and they were just free to take walks in the garden without the paparazzi snapping photos, or spend all day reading books and doing puzzles, and cooking their own meals. Neither of them wanted to leave, but they had to go back to their real lives, and they could hardly complain, what with the kind of lives they lead. Still, as the car pulled up outside the front door’s to Lena’s house in Argo City, they both felt the dreamlike life they’d been living for the past week disappear, replaced by the faint sound of camera’s clicking, and Jess already rattling off a list of social events that she’d planned for Lena while she’d been gone. Kara followed Lena into the house, hovering just inside the doorway, and Lena looked over her shoulder at her, raising her eyebrows slightly.

 

  “Are you staying?”

 

  “No,” Kara sighed, “I should probably get home and see what duties I’ve been slacking off on that need to be done.”

 

  Lena gave her a grim smile, “is Eliza still coming for dinner tonight?”

 

  “Yes.”

 

  “Okay, well then I’ll see you tonight.”

 

  Kara gave her a loving smile, crossing the small distance between them and reaching out for Lena’s hand. “I’ll see you tonight,” Kara agreed, and then leant in and gave Lena a gentle kiss on the cheek. Shyly ducking her head as she smiled, Lena gave Kara’s hand a quick squeeze before dropping it.

 

  Smiling, Kara turned and walked back outside, climbing into the car and settling against the seat as she let her mind wander. They’d spoken at length on the flight home, about whether this was what Lena wanted, and it was. It felt almost too good to be true, but she wanted Kara more than she cared about the state of the monarchy, and she was willing to stop what she’d been doing. It was a relief for Kara, having her give up all of her anti-monarch actions, but there was a part of her that was terrified it would get back to them, and a part of her that agreed with Lena. It didn’t mean she would abolish Krypton’s monarchy, but she knew that they had to make some changes or do something. She was still trying to come up with some good ways to help fix things when she reached the palace and was ushered inside. Lyra was waiting for her just inside the doors, and she dipped into a slight curtsy.

 

  “Your Majesty, I’ve had all of your documents sent to your office, and the Prime Minister would like to know if you’re available for a meeting tomorrow.”

 

  Kara bit back a sigh as she fell back into the tedious routine of meetings and paperwork, but gave Lyra a weary smile as she made straight for her office. “Tomorrow is fine. Ask her if she’d like to come at mid-morning and we can discuss matters over tea.”

 

  “Of course, Your Majesty,” Lyra said, “will there be anything else you need?”

 

  “Call my sister for me, please, and I’d like some tea brought to my office as well,” Kara brusquely told her, slowing as she approached her office, and Lyra nodded and dipped into another curtsy. “Thank you.” With that, Kara’s bodyguard opened the office door for her, and she settled down behind the massive desk, eyeing the locked box of documents with disdain.

 

  Over and over again she added her name to documents, and read over everything carefully, making sure she wasn’t being tricked somehow. Perhaps it was her degree, but she never trusted contracts, and after the one her parents had put together, she was even more distrusting of them now. Sipping tea and eating biscuits, she made quick process, and was hoping to be finished by lunchtime when there was a knock on the door.

 

  “Come in.”

 

  Her pen carried on scrawling across the page in her elegant script, and she quickly glanced up at the sound of heels on the hardwood floor, doing a double-take when she realised who it was.

 

  “Your Majesty,” Lillian greeted her, stopping in the middle of the room and crossing her arms over her chest.

 

  “Your Majesty,” Kara politely nodded, putting the pen cap on and setting it down, before she leant back in her chair. “This is ... unexpected. Does Lena know you’re here?”

 

  Lillian laughed, “of course not. She won’t listen to me, so I thought I’d come to you first, and maybe you can help her see reason.”

 

  “I assume this is to follow through on you threats,” Kara said, smiling slightly.

 

  “I’d hardly call it a threat,” Lillian haughtily replied, reaching into her bag to pull out a file, which she took a step forward to toss onto Kara’s desk. Reaching for the file, Kara sighed as she opened it, taking a moment to skim the first page. They were Lena’s bank records. The next page was a different bank account, under a different name, but with the same amount deposited from Lena’s account every month. On and on it went, through a dozen different accounts, and Kara felt her stomach drop. Lena had thought her donations untraceable.

 

  “Looks to me like she’s been squirrelling away money in case you decided to take it away from her,” Kara casually replied, closing the file.

 

  “We both know that’s not what it is,” Lillian coolly replied, “either you keep the contract, or I’ll dig a little deeper, and who knows what I’ll find. Maybe you don’t even know; has she been honest with you?”

 

  Kara was silent for a moment, before she climbed to her feet, picking up the file as she rounded the desk. Leaning against the edge of the desk, she stared down at the file, tapping her fingers on it as she quickly ran through her options. Then she looked up and gave Lillian a small smile. “Are you going to publicly expose whatever you find?”

 

  “If that’s what it takes.”

 

  “You’re lying,” Kara bluntly said, setting the file down behind her and crossing her arms over her chest as she gave Lillian a cool look. “The popularity of monarchies has been on a downward spiral since the early nineteen-twenties; that’s why you made the contract in the first place, right? You wanted some of that glory and worship back. It’s clearly been working, because google searches for both of our families is up thirty-two percent, and a social and charity event invitations are up eighteen percent. Revenue from memorabilia and tourism is at an all time high for both of our countries. You’re getting more popular, and that’s all thanks to Lena and myself for sticking to your contract. Now, the way I see it is if you expose your own daughter, the popularity ratings go down, millions is lost in revenue, damaging both of our economies, your social visits and charity event offers go back to what it was, leaving you right back where you started. In fact, I think you might be worse off, because what you’ll find will hurt your reputation - I think I’ll come out on top in all of this - but you’ll end up a hated family. So, by all means, dig a little deeper, and you’ll find out just how right I am.”

 

  Lillian’s face was all sharp lines and hard angles as she stonily stared at Kara, who was looking a little smug in her triumph. She had Lillian, and she knew it. “What has she done?”

 

  Letting out an incredulous laugh, Kara shook her head, “if you think I would ever tell you, then you’re sorely mistaken. Now, if you’re quite done with your power display, I think that you should take into consideration the fact that we’re still giving you what you want. Unless things fall apart - which I very much hope not - you should worry about something else for the time being. Perhaps like finding your son a wife and heir for your line? Lena’s doing just fine, and she doesn’t need you in her life right now. If things fall apart, then, by all means, come back and we’ll have a nice chat about how we can keep the ball rolling for both of our countries. Until then, stay out of our business, and keep on basking in the success and fame that your daughter’s giving you. God knows you wouldn’t have it if it wasn’t for her.”

 

  Standing in silence for a few moments, Lillian gave Kara a stiff nod. “Good day, Your Majesty.”

 

  Kara watched her walk towards the door, and couldn’t resist responding. “We’ll send you an invitation for the wedding.”

 

  She smiled to herself as she watched the door slam shut, although her stomach was a ball of nerves, and she let out a shaky breath as she rounded the desk and sat back down. Rubbing her temple, Kara grimaced, feeling proud of herself but also worried that this might come back to bite her in the ass. Lillian knew that she was right, but it didn’t mean that she wouldn’t do something else to try and twist things for her. Reaching for her phone, Kara dialed Astra’s number and pressed it to her ear as she listened to it ring.

 

  “Did you speak to Lillian?” Kara asked as soon as it connected.

 

  There was a brief pause as Astra took in the abrupt question, “yes, I did.”

 

  “What did you say to her? What did she say to you?”

 

  “She agreed that the two of you being a real couple was a good idea. She said she wouldn’t interfere,” Astra quickly summarised.

 

  Kara scoffed slightly, shaking her head as she smiled to herself, “well she lied.”

 

  “What did she do?”

 

  “It-“ Kara hesitated, unwilling to let the secret spread even beyond her and Lena, “it’s nothing. I handled it, and I don’t think she’ll try me again.”

 

  “Okay, well, let me know if there’s anything I can do to help,” Astra slowly said, and Kara knew that her aunt’s mind would be tossing over a dozen possible things that could’ve gone wrong.

 

  “Thank you,” Kara curtly replied, “I’ll see you at the state dinner next week.”

 

  Hanging up, she quickly scribbled her name on another document, before calling it a day. Heading out of the office, she made her way to the gardens, stepping out onto the yellowed stone path and following it through the perfectly trimmed rose bushes and hedges. The early spring weather had warmed slightly, but it was still too cold without her coat, and Kara shivered slightly as the brisk wind caressed her skin, making her break out in goosebumps. She didn’t go back inside though; she needed the fresh air. After two weeks in Ireland, the palace felt stifling, and Kara didn’t want to sit behind her desk for the rest of the day; it wasn’t like she did anything important anyway. She was a figurehead with no real power, and all she had was the popularity her family and position gave her. Lena had been right about a lot of things, and Kara couldn’t help but think about the repercussions of abolishing the monarchy. She wasn’t considering doing it, but she sat in the garden, watching a little magpie land on a branch and ruffle its feathers.

 

  Something heavy was draped over her shoulders, and Kara jumped slightly as she looked up, her hands reaching to pull the blanket securely around her. “You looked cold,” Lena said, giving her a warm smile as she sat down next to Kara on the stone bench.

 

  “Move in with me,” Kara blurted out, freezing as the words passed her lips before she could even think. That wasn’t what she had meant to say; she was going to ask why Lena was there, because it was barely lunchtime and they wouldn’t be having dinner for hours. As she went to ask that though, she realised that she didn’t want to wonder why Lena was there, she just wanted her to always be there, and her mouth had taken over.

 

  Lena blinked in surprise, before giving Kara a hesitant smile. “Well ... that wasn’t what I was expecting.”

 

  Blushing, Kara ducked her head, scuffing her boots on the stone beneath her feet. “Sorry, I just ... we were supposed to talk about things, like how we’re going to do it now, and I just- we’re not taking it slow, are we?”

 

  Laughing, Lena reached out and brushed a stray lock of hair behind Kara’s ear. “No, between you getting me into bed, and me jumping you in the bathtub, I don’t believe that we are.”

 

  Her cheeks turning even redder, Kara let out a nervous laugh. “I don’t- I don’t want to go back to how things were at the start of the contract. Sure, it was all fake, but it was like the start of a real relationship. We were figuring things out, figuring out how we liked to be touched and kissed, and learning everything about each other. I already know all those things, and now ... it seems almost redundant, wouldn’t you agree?”

 

  “Of course,” Lena quickly assured her, but Kara saw the apprehension on her face and felt her heart plummet. “But ... I don’t think you’re ready to fully commit to this. You were, I know you were, but then I told you about the, uh, the thing, and your first reaction was about your reputation.”

 

  “Lena-“

 

  “No, it’s fine, Kara. I won’t hold that against you - I would never - but it made me think that maybe you’re not ready to be all in, because if my mom tries something, you’ll be stuck in the middle of it.”

 

  “Your mom was here earlier,” Kara confessed, “I was going to tell you tonight.”

 

  Lena blanched for a second, before giving Kara a slightly strained smile. “Is that why you asked me to move in? Are you panicking?”

 

  Shooting to her feet, Kara huffed in frustration, running a hand through her hair. “I’m not panicking, Lena! I’m not- it’s just ... I don’t want to wake up in the morning and you’re not there. I don’t want to miss out on staying up past midnight talking about everything and anything, and I want to eat breakfast with you, and not have to fly to a different country to see you - or even go to your houses here - because I want to just ... I don’t want to ask why you’re here, because I want to expect you here. I don’t know. It’s been two weeks of heaven, and that’s not long enough for me. We’ve been doing this for far longer than we’ve even known, and that’s just ... it’s sped things up for me.”

 

  “Oh,” Lena softly exclaimed, reaching out and pulling Kara back down into the bench beside her. “I know that things aren’t normal with us. We have months of fake shit, and this ... it’s new, but it’s- it’s not is it? It’s fine if you feel like that’s but ... what did my mom say?”

 

  “She’s tracing your money,” Kara said, “she’s close to finding out what for. She ... well, you know your mom. I, uh, I kind of put her in her place, so, um, we might be okay. I mean, I’m hoping so.”

 

  Lena let out a surprised laugh, “you stood up to my mom?”

 

  “Of course I did,” Kara told her, “for us, and for you.”

 

  Breathlessly laughing, Lena shook her head as she smiled. “Of course you did. I’ll take the east wing for now.”

 

  “What?”

 

  “I’ll move into a room in the east wing. Three days a week. I’ll sleep in your room but I’ll keep my things on the other side of the palace, and if it works ... I really want it to work,” Lena said, the longing clear in her voice.

 

  Smiling brightly, Kara’s eyes crinkled slightly at the corners. “Really?”

 

  “Of course I bloody do, you stupid cow,” Lena exasperatedly exclaimed, firmly taking Kara’s face in her hands and planting a kiss squarely on her lips. “We might’ve been stubborn idiots who only got our shit together two weeks ago, but I don’t want to awkwardly dance around each other while we try and find our footing. I know you, Kara - I know the best parts and the stubborn, ditzy and stupid parts - and yeah, okay, maybe we’re probably rushing things, but we can’t pretend like all of those months never happened. We did it for almost a year, and that’s a bloody long time to pretend, and I guess we both agree that we’re going to keep playing off what we’ve built. I mean, that’s what you’re saying right? And I hate to admit it, but this is the next logical step, and it’ll be as much for the cameras as for us.”

 

  Nodding, Kara gave her a small smile, “three days a week. You really want it?” Grimacing, Lena gave her a reproving look, and Kara let out a quick laugh. “Sorry, I know, I know, I shouldn’t doubt you. You’ve just never been the one who’s wanted anything.”

 

  “Because there was never anything that I wanted. I’ve always had everything I could need at the snap of my fingers, and I never had the chance to want for anything ... until I realised I wanted a real relationship. How strange to think that my complete and utter bitch of a mother, who’s never done anything selfless in her life, gave me the only thing I’ve ever wanted ... and I complained for months because I didn’t even realise what I had.”

 

  “I didn’t realise it either,” Kara said, “not for a long while. Not even when Alex and Maggie made their stupid bet, which I refused to let Alex win.”

 

  “Wait, what? What bet?” Lena asked, her eyebrows furrowing into a confused frown as she tilted her head to the side.

 

  Letting out a loud laugh, Kara threw her head back. “Oh god, I forgot to tell you! It was in China, I think, and they were whispering together, and of course I knew my sister was in deep with her. I asked what they were talking about but they wouldn’t say anything until I ... made a slight possible threat - I mean, I wasn’t actually going to fire her - and Maggie told me that they were placing bets on who fell in love with who first.”

 

  “Who won?”

 

  Kara pursed her lips slightly, a thoughtful look crossing her face. “You know, I’m not sure what they specified. I think I fell in love first, but you acted first. You were a lot braver than me, I’ll give you that, even if we’d been drinking all night.”

 

  Lena groaned, putting her head in her hands, “I can’t believe how south everything went after that. All because I was scared.”

 

  Pressing a quick kiss to Lena’s temple, Kara rubbed soothing circles into her back. “Don’t worry, I was scared out of my mind too. I’ve never been so grateful to Sam in all my life - I swear I could’ve kissed her when she told me that you were lying.”

 

  “I’m sorry,” Lena said, wrinkling her nose slightly, “I didn’t mean to lie.”

 

  “Yeah, well, you didn’t mean to fall in love either, did you? But here we are.”

 

  “Here we are,” Lena murmured, staring at a rose bush. A small smile curled the corners of her lips.

\---

  Later on that night, Alex and Maggie showed up for dinner, joining Kara, Lena and Eliza in the sitting room, where they were all nursing glasses of rosé wine. It was their first time having a family meal with everyone officially together, and Kara could see Lena’s nerves in the way she fidgeted, and the slight tenseness in her shoulders. It disappeared when Alex and Maggie walked in, and Lena set her wineglass down, jumping to her feet with a smug smile on her face.

 

  Digging in the pocket of the pants, she pulled out a slightly crumpled rectangle of paper, quickly striding towards Alex and handing over the paper. Everyone looked puzzled, until Lena spoke. “I believe you won the bet, so this is my contribution to the prize pool.”

 

  Alex burst into laughter, while Kara’s mouth fell open in surprise, along with Maggie’s, and Eliza frowned in confusion. Lena turned and gave Kara a triumphant smile, and Kara quickly closed her mouth, feeling the corners tug up into a soft smile as her heart melted at the sight of Lena’s obvious joy. She would make all the ridiculous bets in the world if it made her happy to win them.


	33. Chapter 33

            Things went well enough for the first two weeks, with Kara excitedly having rooms on the other side of the palace set aside for Lena, and Lena leaving a few personal items in them, even though she always slept in Kara’s room. The days when they woke up next to each other were exhilarating, and the days in between were filled with anticipation of when Lena would stay over again. A couple of times, she stayed over at Lena’s too, after Sam or Veronica had visited for drinks, and it had been easier for Kara to just stay over instead of going home. A part of her was amazed at how easy it all felt, and she forgot to worry about anything getting in the way of things, because she’d dealt with Lillian herself, and knew she wouldn’t risk hurting her own reputation by leaking her daughter’s secret dealings with anti-monarchists. She should’ve known better than to think that was the only way to get back at them though.

 

            It wasn’t until Kara was busy at a government dinner, which Lena wasn’t technically allowed to be at, given the fact that she wasn’t Kryptonian, that Lillian got her revenge. She’d been happily chatting to Astra, grateful for the time she got to spend with her aunt, when her phone buzzed and she looked down at it in her lap. Alex had sent her a photo, and as she was swiping it open, another one came through, and then another one. They were all of Lena, and another girl. A girl who was wearing very little, and was very much draped across Lena’s lap, trying to kiss Lena by the look of the photos. Kara shot to her feet, startling everyone at the table, who hurriedly scrambled out of their chairs, and Kara looked at each face in turn, giving them an apologetic smile.

 

            “My apologies, but there’s an important matter that I’m afraid I have to go and handle. If you’ll please excuse me,” she said, giving everyone a nod, and gesturing for Astra to stay, before hurrying out of the room.

 

            Her bodyguards followed after her, and she stormed towards the car, keeping her face expressionless as the photographers waiting outside for the dinner to end went wild at the sudden appearance of the Queen. She messaged Alex once she was buckled in, and shoved her phone into her bag, heading straight for the palace. It wasn’t Lena’s turn to stay over that night, but Kara would ask her to come anyway, just as soon as she got out of the expensive gown and into something less irritable. For now, she tried not to think about the photos, but she knew for a fact that this wasn’t Lena’s doing. She’d blamed her once for the kiss, because she’d been jealous, and she could feel the jealousy stirring again, but Kara told herself not to be so childish again. Stamping down her feelings, she watched the cars they passed to pass the time, keeping a tally of how many white cars went by to try and take her mind off things. They were at the palace soon after that, and she wearily dragged her feet as she made her way upstairs, waving away the help of staff members offering her tea and informing her of missed phone calls, and other things she ignored.

 

            Pausing slightly at the end of her hallway, Kara redoubled her pace at the sight of Hector stood outside her doors, and he bowed slightly as he opened it for her. Breezing inside, Kara sighed at the sight of Lena wearing some of her pyjamas, looking oddly funny in pastel pink flowers, and she kicked her heels off and tugged at the zipper. Lena shot to her feet the moment that Kara had walked in, her face ashen and her eyes filled with worry.

 

            “I can explain-“

 

            Kara let the dress pool to the floor, stepping out of it and crossing over to Lena. She wrapped her in a quick hug, holding her close and stroking her hair, “it wasn’t your fault, I know.”

 

            She could feel Lena’s relieved sigh, and Kara gave her a small squeeze. “It was my mom. I know it was.”

 

            Pulling back, Kara gave Lena a slight frown, her eyebrows kitting together in confusion. “What would she get out of this?”

 

            “She- she paid someone to come onto me. Of _course_ they’d take photos, and now tomorrow the whole world will think that my wild night out involved me getting friendly with _another_ woman. Who do you think gets the blame in this?”

 

            “You do,” Kara quietly answered.

 

            “And where does that leave you?”

 

            “Well _I_ know it was doctored to look like that,” Kara said, “so it leaves me exactly where I was in the first place. It’s everyone else who- _oh_. She’s just making it harder for us.”

 

            Lena gave her a wry smile, her eyes shining slightly with tears. “Now she knows it’s real, and she knows we don’t want to play games for the bloody cameras, so that’s _exactly_ what she’s going to make us do. We’ll have to make sure they see that everything’s fine, and that everyone knows it’s not true, and to do that, we have to amp up our relationship, putting us in the exact same position as we were with the stupid bloody contract.”

 

            Closing her eyes, Kara let out a slow breath, before she looked into Lena’s eyes. “Are you okay?”

 

            “Wha- no! Of _course_ I’m not okay!” Lena exclaimed, a spark of anger in her eyes, but not at Kara. “She-“

 

            “I don’t care about your mom,” Kara cut her off, “I know you’re not okay about _that_ , but are _you_ okay?”

 

            Running a hand through her hair, Lena gave her a strained smile, “I’m fine. I didn’t even try and start a fight this time, so there’s that.”

 

            “Lena,” Kara sighed, wrapping her in another hug and kissing the side of her head. “Go to bed, I’ll be in in a second.”

 

            She let go of Lena, watching as she walked to Kara’s bedroom, and then turned around and went to fetch her dress. Gathering it up and covering herself as best as she could, Kara cracked open the door and asked her bodyguard to request some tea from the kitchens, before walking back inside, dropping the dress and making her way to the bedroom. Quickly changing into some pyjamas, she took her makeup off and then slipped into bed next to Lena, automatically reaching out for her and taking comfort in the feeling of Lena in her arms. They were both silent as they lay there, wrapped up in each other, and they didn’t say a word until there was a light tap on the door, and Lyra brought in a silver tray laden with tea and cakes. Kara poured them both a cup, before settling back into bed, and giving Lena a small smile.

 

            “Hey, it’s okay.”

 

            Lena scoffed, furrowing her eyebrows as she sipped her tea, “is it though?”

 

            Running a hand over her hair, Kara pressed a kiss to the side of Lena’s head. “Well, they’re going to talk about us no matter what, and as long as _we_ know the truth, I don’t care what they say.”

 

            “Since when?” Lena laughed, raising her eyebrows in mild surprise at Kara’s words.

 

            Shrugging slightly, Kara gave her a small smile, “I mean, I know I’ve made such a fuss about caring before, but honestly … at this point, I don’t care what they say about me, as long as we’re okay. Before, it was about the contract, not us, but know it’s changed. If anything, the contract showed me how little the press know about what's actually happening, and I shouldn't care so much about what they think when the reality is _so_ different.”

 

            “You said a few weeks ago that you couldn’t let your reputation be harmed because of what I did,” Lena reminded her.

 

            “That’s different,” Kara murmured, “that … that’s true, but this is a lie, so it won’t _actually_ hurt me. Your mom can spin as many lies as she wants, and I don’t care at all.”

 

            “But if what I did gets out-“

 

            “It won’t,” Kara quickly reassured her.

 

            Lena sighed, giving her a pained smile, “but if it _does_.”

 

            Sighing, Kara drained her tea and set the cup down on the tray, “if it does, then I’ll just … I don’t know. I’ll talk to Lucy and we’ll try and say it’s fake, and that it’s- it’s slander or something. We'll pin it on the anti-monarchists.”

 

            “Wouldn’t it just be easier if I came clean about it and we got on top of it?” Lena asked.

 

            “In theory, yes, but I’d rather not risk the backlash and everything if it turns out that it’ll never get out anyway. Lucy’s already trying to bury the evidence for me, so we’ll just ignore it for now.”

 

            “Because ignoring things makes them go away, right?” Lena snorted, “just like we tried to ignore each other, hm?”

 

            Laughing, Kara took Lena’s cup off her and gently cupped her face, placing a soft kiss on her lips. “That was different.”

 

            “Mm,” Lena murmured against her lips, and Kara could feel her smile.

 

            “Let’s deal with this tomorrow,” Kara mumbled.

 

\---

 

            “So, do you fancy going out today?” Lena asked, lounging on the sofa as Kara quickly signed a few documents that Astra had dropped off for her.

 

            “Sure. Where do you want to go?” Kara replied, shooting her a quick look as she added her name to the last one and set it on top of the pile.

 

            Lena shrugged, pursing her lips slightly, “I don’t know. How much of a display do you feel like putting on? We can go into the city and have tea.”

 

            “I don’t want to pretend today,” Kara pouted slightly, “I just want to spend time with you.”

 

            “Well then we’ll just go into the city anyway, and we’ll just be us,” Lena said, climbing to her feet and walked over to Kara. She leant down and brushed Kara’s hair off her neck, placing a gentle kiss against the smooth skin there and smiling when she felt Kara’s skin ripple with goosebumps. “We’ll go to that park you like so you can sketch.”

 

            “And that bookshop that _you_ like,” Kara said, smiling up at Lena.

 

            “Sounds fair,” Lena agreed, “go and fetch your things. I’ll tell Hector to tell the guards.”

 

            Kara jumped to her feet, leaving the papers neatly piled on the table, and went to find her latest sketchbook and a few pencils, cramming them in a bag and fetching a coat. It was sunny outside, but the wind was cool, and she knew that it would be cold by the lake in the park. The fresh air would do them both some good though, and she knew that even this palace was a bit stifling for Lena, and her as well. Any moment where they could both escape were moments that they cherished, even if they knew that people would seize the chance to snap photos of them together. It was a bother, but one they would have to get over if they ever wanted to have a real relationship without feeling the need to shut themselves inside, all day, everyday. Kara couldn’t help but feel excited as they climbed out of the car outside Lena’s favourite bookshop in the city though, and she willingly let Lena drag her inside, eager to peruse the bookshelves and find something new to read. They made straight for the mystery section, and Kara’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, and she couldn’t stop herself from leaning in close to whisper in Lena’s ear.

 

            “Had enough of books on the downfall of monarchies, have we?”

 

            Lena gave her an admonishing look, her mouth turning down at the corners as she gave Kara a look that clearly meant that she didn’t think it was funny. “I don’t think now is the time,” she murmured, and Kara let out a quiet laugh, while Lena shook her head and rolled her eyes.

 

            “How about this one then?” Kara said, picking a random book off the shelf and handing it to Lena, who shrugged as she looked down at the cover and added another book to the pile.

 

            By the time they made it to the front counter, she held a stack of books, and Kara quickly handed over her card to pay for them, wrinkling her nose slightly as she smiled down at Lena, who was smiling brightly. With her bag of books in hand, Lena laced the fingers on their other hands together, and they slipped back out onto the sidewalk, while their large retinue of bodyguards fell in around them. Kara didn’t think she would ever be able to get rid of them now – not after the assassination attempt – and she had resigned herself to the fact that they could only ever be alone inside the palace, where they _weren’t_ alone. Still, the cool wind on her face was welcomed, and she enjoyed their walk, buying some flowers for Lena from a nearby flower stall, feeling her stomach flutter at the joy on Lena’s face at such a simple gesture, and feeling equally as happy when Lena made them stop at a bakery and bought them both pastries, before they made their way to the park. It was mostly empty, with only a few mothers pushing strollers, or people taking early morning coffee breaks, and the two of them were unbothered as they stretched out on the lush grass at the edge of the small lake, except by a few photographers sneaking around behind the trunks of the nearby trees. It was surprisingly easy to ignore them though, as Kara bit into a danish and roughly sketched the sight of Lena laying on her spread out coat, a book held above her as she frowned up at the writing on the pages. She kept on sketching for a few more minutes, before Lena let out a frustrated groan and dropped her book, startling Kara by the sudden outburst.

 

            “Why do people read mysteries?” Lena grumbled, “I have no idea what’s happening and it’s annoying.”

 

            “Well, that’s kind of the point of a mystery, my dear,” Kara laughed, tossing the paper bag with the other cakes at Lena, who sighed as she fished out a croissant and picked up her book again. Kara watched as Lena flipped to the last page, and she let out a surprised laugh. “Lena, that’s cheating!”

 

            Turning to look at her, Lena scowled, “well I can’t read it if I don’t know who the killer is. It’ll irritate me.”

 

            “You have to _earn_ it,” Kara told her, giving her an exasperated look. “You’re the one who’s always going on about how you completed your military training and worked for your black belts.”

 

            “But this is different, the ending is _right there_ ,” Lena complained, “it’s taunting me. I don’t _have_ to wait; I could just skip to the end. Besides, you know how I feel about not being able to have what I want when I want it.”

 

            Kara laughed, reaching over to grab Lena’s hand in her own and press a kiss to the back of it, “you were patient enough with me.”

 

            “Well I didn’t have a choice, did I?” Lena sighed, “I didn’t think you liked me, and it’s completely different to a bloody mystery novel with the ending _right_ there.”

 

            “If you can wait months for me, you can wait a few hours for the ending. I know you’re a fast reader,” Kara said, smiling as Lena sighed and rolled her eyes.

 

            “Fine, but it better be worth it,” Lena grumbled.

 

            “It’ll make it that much better, I promise you,” Kara told her, brushing a strand of hair out of Lena’s face as she watched Lena take another bite of the croissant.

 

            Lena smiled around her mouthful of food, “are we still talking about the book or …?”

 

            Raising an eyebrow and giving her a knowing look, Kara shoved the rest of her danish in her mouth as she shrugged. “Maybe.”

 

            Lena gave her a gentle shove as she laughed, sitting upright so that they were face to face, their knees knocking as they sat across from each other. Picking up the paper bag, Kara offered another pastry to Lena, who took one out and handed the last one over to Kara. She pulled it out and crumpled the empty bag, taking a small bite of it and eyeing the raspberry one that Lena held, perking up slightly when Lena held it out to her so she could take a bite. Lena burst out laughing when Kara swallowed, reaching out to wipe her face for her. “How is it you got icing sugar everywhere, you silly cow?”

 

            Giving her a sheepish smile, Kara wiped the rest off as she blushed slightly, “I’ve been told that I’m not the perfect queen I think I am, so.”

 

            “You’re a real comedian,” Lena said, stealing Kara’s blueberry pastry and taking a bite, before she handed it back to her, “but I happen to think you’re perfect just the way you are.”

 

            “Well of course you’d say that; I’m everything you could ever _dream_ of, darling,” Kara laughed, and Lena shook her head as she bit her lip.

 

            “When did you get so arrogant, Your Majesty?” Lena asked, arching an eyebrow as her lips curled at the corners, “I mean, I guess it’s not arrogant if you’re right though, is it?”

 

            Kara laughed, taking a bite and nudging the book in Lena’s hand, “read your book, Lena.”

 

            “Fine, but I’m spoiling the ending for you if it sucks.”

 

            “If it sucks, I don’t want to read it anyway.”

 

            “Fine,” Lena sighed again, opening up the book, “but you picked this one.”

 

            They spent the rest of the day at the park, and Lena finished the book while Kara sketched her and the lake. At lunchtime, they took a quick trip to the café across the road, drinking lavender lemonade and eating sandwiches as they sat outside in the shade of an umbrella. The weak sunlight warmed the pavement as they watched people walk past them, ignoring the quiet clicks and blinding flashes as they chatted and enjoyed their food. One good thing was that there would be a lot of photos of them out and about, looking just as much in love as they had yesterday. Neither of them had looked at the news today – it wasn’t worth it – and they were happy to keep it that way, because neither of them wanted to see what nasty lies that had spread on Lillian’s behalf. All they could do now was try and find a way to curb her revenge before she did something that went too far, and by the end of her book, Lena knew just how to do it.


	34. Chapter 34

            “Lena, you can’t wear boots – you need to wear heels to try on the dress,” Kara sighed, giving Lena an exasperated look as she took in the shoes that she was pulling on.

 

            “What dress?”

 

            Kara frowned slightly, “the one for Lucy’s birthday party. We’re supposed to be going to the fitting and getting lunch, remember?”

 

            “Oh shit, that was today?” Lena said, grimacing as she put the other boot on, “I can’t do today, darling, can we reschedule for tomorrow?”

 

            “Why? What’s up?” Kara asked, giving her a teasing smile as she walked over to Lena and dropped onto her lap, “you don’t want to spend time with me?”

 

            Lena hesitated, a slow smile spreading over her face, which didn’t fully reach her eyes. “Of _course_ I do, love, but I forgot that I’m already supposed to be having a meeting over lunch with someone else.”

 

            Tilting her head to the side, Kara gave her a puzzled look, before smiling, “it’s no problem. Is Sam in town?”

 

            Reaching up to give her a quick kiss, Lena wrinkled her nose as she smiled, “you’d know if Sam was in town. It’s nothing to worry about though, I just completely forgot about the dress fitting. How about you go to the fitting, and you pick out a few that you think would look nice on me, and then I’ll try them on for you tonight and I’ll let you pick? I’ll even organize something special for dinner to make it up to you.”

 

  Kissing her again, Kara gave her a loving smile, “you don’t have to make anything up to me, but it sounds like a date.”

 

            “Good,” Lena said, giving Kara’s leg a squeeze and waiting for her to jump up. “Well I’m supposed to be leaving soon, so I’ll call you when I’m on my way home, okay?”

 

            “Okay,” Kara said, climbing to her feet and watching as Lena scrambled around for her phone, purse, bag and coat. Slipping on a pair of sunglasses, she gave Kara a quick smile.

 

            “Have a good day, darling,” Lena said, giving her a quick kiss before she made for the bedroom doors, stopping to scratch Aoife behind the ears on her way out.

 

            Watching her leave, Kara wandered over to the doors and leant against it as she watched Lena cross the living room. “Hey, I love you.”

 

            Her hand falling on the door handle, Lena turned and gave her a mocking bow, “by your leave, Your Majesty.”

 

            Rolling her eyes, Kara smiled, “you’re such an asshole.”  

 

            “You love it,” Lena said, giving her a wide smile, “but not as much as I love you.”

 

            “Have a good day.”

 

            Kara shook her head, smiling as she watched the door close behind Lena, and she pushed herself off the doorframe and went to fetch a pair of heels. Half an hour later, she was slipping into the back of the car, along with four bodyguards, and was making her way to the dress shop. She spent an hour trying on dresses, taking a few photos and sending them to Lena, before she picked out a few for Lena and left, going to a nearby restaurant to pick up some lunch. Sitting alone in the back of the café, she was scrolling through her phone, answering messages and checking her social media accounts, when she got an alert from a news site that she’d signed up to after the last big news story with her and Lena, so she could be kept in the loop and wouldn’t have to rely on others to break the news to her. Curious as to what pictures of her had been snapped, she opened the alert and was taken to a news site in Thorul, showing photos of Lena leaving the airport, climbing into the car, and photos of her arriving at the palace. Kara frowned as she looked at the last few photos, realizing that Lena hadn’t told her the whole truth – she was going to see her mom. Feeling confused as to why Lena would lie, Kara finished her food and slowly walked out of the café, scrolling through the same scenes from different angles and photographers and trying to figure out why Lena hadn’t told her.

 

            Back at the palace, she was watching as Lyra arranged the dresses she’d picked out for Lena on a rack, when her phone started ringing. Looking down at Lena’s name on the screen, Kara quickly answered it and pressed it to her ear. “Hello.”

 

_“Hey! I’m just finishing up my meeting now, so I’ll be home soon.”_

 

            “How soon?” Kara asked, trying not to sound suspicious – it wasn’t that she didn’t trust Lena, but she wondered how much she’d tell her.

 

            There was a slight pause before Lena replied, _“I should be there in like half an hour if traffic is good. I can’t wait to see the dresses you picked out for me, and to see yours of course.”_

            Kara smiled slightly to herself, “yeah, they’re pretty great, I’m sure you’ll love them.”

 

 _“I’m sure I will,”_ Lena agreed, _“okay, I have to go. I’ll see you soon. Bye!”_

            “Bye,” Kara echoed, before the line went dead.

 

\---

 

            She was sitting in the dark living room, not having bothered to switch the lights on, when Lena came home, opening the door and slowly walking inside as the hallway lights cast her silhouette in the doorway. She quietly cursed as she fumbled for the light switch, jumping when Kara switched a lamp on, staring directly at her.

 

            “What the bloody hell are you doing, you silly mare,” Lena laughed, clutching at her chest as she gave Kara an amused look, bending down to ruffle the shaggy fur under Aoife’s chin as the dog dopily wandered towards her, “you frightened the life out of me. Why are you sat in the dark, being all bloody dramatic and all?”

 

            Kara rolled her eyes, “I was waiting for you, _obviously_.”

 

            “Are you ready for dinner? Your surprise chef is here,” Lena told her, smiling as she approached her, leaning down to give her a kiss.

 

            “Yeah,” Kara agreed, adjusting her glasses as she gave her a tight smile, “but, um, how was your day? How was lunch with … who was it again?”

 

            She watched as Lena froze, and then let out a sigh, shrugging out of her coat as she collapsed onto the sofa beside Kara. Giving her a wry smile, she settled down on the pillows and tilted her head to the side. “So by the sound of things, you already know who I had lunch with.”

 

            Kara let out a small laugh, lacking her usual warmth, and gave Lena a slight shrug, “you could’ve just told me you were going to see your mom.”

 

            “I was going to tell you at dinner, or once it was all settled,” Lena said, grimacing as she reached out for Kara’s hand, “because if I told you why beforehand, you’d try and stop me. Or you’d tell me I was making a mistake, and I don’t think that I am.”

 

            Closing her eyes, Kara breathed in slowly, before her eyelids fluttered open and she gave Lena an exasperated look, “what did you do?”

 

            “Can we eat first or- okay, never mind,” Lena quickly said, seeing the look on Kara’s face and deciding to cut to the chase, “right, well I went to get the contract back.”

 

            “Why? We have photocopies,” Kara said, her forehead furrowing in confusion.

 

            “That’s just step one in my master plan,” Lena said, smirking slightly as she lounged on the sofa, looking faintly smug, “I need the real one so I can pass it on to a special friend who’s going to lift her signature and apply it to certain documents I have in my possession.”

 

            A feeling of uneasiness swept through Kara, and she narrowed her eyes slightly, “what kind of documents, might I ask?”

 

            “Financial ones,” Lena curtly replied, “which have been deposited into a series of accounts under false names, and somehow found their way to an anti-monarchist foundation. Can you imagine the implications behind a Queen funneling money into an organization against everything she stands for? It would be quite the enigma.”

 

            “Quite,” Kara said, raising her eyebrows slightly, “and then what?”

 

            Lena shrugged, giving her a charming lopsided smile, “well, with my mother’s name attached, I can blackmail her for her silence, and if she tries to double-cross me, I leak a tip to the press about my mother’s activities, along with some official looking bank statements, deposits and and cheques, and alongside a confession from that Siobhan woman, who tried to kill you, we have a very interesting plot on our hands. What would the Kryptonian government think about the Queen Mother of Thorul funding an assassination attempt on their Queen? It would mean the collapse of a tenuous alliance between our two countries, costing my country millions of dollars in revenue and business deals – yours too, I’m afraid, but not to worry, my plan won’t fail – and it could possibly spark a war between both of them, which would mean the collapse of alliances with other countries when sides are taken. And _then,_ my mother would still have to deal with a full scale investigation into god knows what other illegal business she’s been up to, because I can guarantee that there’s something, which would further spiral the popularity of the House of Luthor, sparking rebellions and protests against the monarchy and everything it stands for, ultimately leading to my brother being forced to abdicate the throne and razing everything to the ground. So, what do you think?”

 

            Opening and closing her mouth, Kara just stared at her with wide eyes filled with disbelief. It took her a few moments before she could find her voice, and Kara leapt to her feet and began pacing back and forth, “absolutely _not!_ Have you gone mad? What’s to stop her from throwing in her own evidence to show that it was all _you_? What if you get caught in the lie? What if she has you arrested for blackmail? There’s _so_ many things that could go wrong. How did you even come up with this?”

 

            “That book you bought me the other week … that was essentially the plot – well, without the monarchy, but it was about the collapse of an Italian mob, so it was sort of similar – and it worked for them.”

 

            “You’re basing your _entire_ plan off a fictional crime and mystery novel?” Kara exclaimed, spluttering as she looked at Lena, who gave her a sheepish smile and gestured vaguely.

 

            “You don’t need to worry, love,” Lena sighed, climbing to her feet and reaching out to clamp her hands down on Kara’s shoulders, stopping her mid-step, “she’s not going to risk it. If there’s even the _slightest_ chance that she can go down for it, and lose everything, she won’t risk it. We can silence her and keep her under _our_ control, once and for all. No more meddling and- and no more amping things up for the public. We never have to step foot in the public eye again, if you don’t want to. We can go … _anywhere_ , and we can just hide out – just the two of us – and you can do all your business from there, and we can get away from it all. Or we could stay here too, and go out in the city anyway, because we _can_ , not because we have to. And who gives a shit what the news says, right? My mom won’t be pulling our puppet strings anymore, so we don’t have to worry about anything leaking, or her forcing our hands.”

 

            “Lena-“

 

            “Come on, Kara, just let me try. Please,” Lena begged, “you’ve _always_ fought for us, and now _I_ want to do this for us. I want to face my mom and let her know that she doesn’t control me anymore, and show her than I’m smarter than her, and that I can beat her at her own game if I have to.”

 

            Kara sighed and brushed Lena’s hands off her shoulders, before closing the gap between them and wrapping her in a tight hug. “I just don’t want you to end up on the wrong end of this,” Kara mumbled into Lena’s shoulder.

 

            “I’m not doing it alone. I have Alana and … Lucy,” Lena admitted, and Kara tore herself out of her arms, her eyebrows rising in surprise.

 

             _“Lucy’s_ been helping you with this?”

 

            “Well she got us out of the contract in the first place, so I trust her help on this too,” Lena shrugged, “plus, she’s a lawyer, so she knows how far she can push things without us getting into trouble. I have a few other people in on it too, but I’ll spare you the details, because the less you know about the process, the better for your heart.”

 

            Opening her mouth to argue, Kara couldn’t find anything to say, so she sighed and close it, pressing her lips together in a grim line. Pulling Lena into another quick hug, she let go and walked towards her bedroom. “Fine, do what you want, but if you end up in prison, I’m not coming to visit you.”

 

            “I wouldn’t dream of seeing you in a place like that, my dear,” Lena happily agreed as she followed after Kara, reaching out for her hand and pulling her to a stop so that she could turn her around. Giving her a soft smile, Kara met Lena halfway and gently kissed her back, feeling all of her frustration melt away at the warm touch of Lena’s lips against her own. She knew that Lena was smart, and wouldn’t do anything to put them in danger, but she was worried for her, even though she knew that Lena knew what she was doing.

 

            “Come on, time to make it up to me,” Kara sighed, dragging Lena into the bedroom and gesturing towards the rack of dresses. “You promised me a fashion show, and now I’m more invested in getting you to that party so I can kick Lucy’s ass for agreeing to help you. The least you could do is look good while you accompany me.”

 

            Lena gasped in mock outrage, looking affronted as she held a hand over her heart, “are you saying that I don’t always look good?”

 

            “Well, I don’t really think orange is your colour,” Kara wryly told her, and Lena let out a loud laugh as she pulled a red dress off the rack, “but otherwise, you always look better than I can even describe.”

 

            “How flattering,” Lena said, kicking off her shoes and tossing the dress onto the bed while she stripped off her clothes. Kara sat down in the armchair in the corner, putting her feet up on the little round ottoman as she watched Lena try on all the dresses on the rack, both of them laughing at the ridiculous poses that she made.

 

\---

 

            Lena wore one of the dresses that Kara had picked out – not the one she was going to wear to Lucy’s birthday party, but one of the other ones that she’d liked – and they were both sitting in the small dining room, just the two of them, being served by the chef that Lena had flown in from China as a surprise to Kara. The table for two was laden with numerous dishes, and Kara was happily chatting in between mouthfuls of the exquisite Chinese food, trying not to worry about what trouble Lena was going to get herself into, and instead, focusing on enjoying herself, which wasn’t hard with Lena. There were a dozen courses, and by the time they were finished, they could barely move, and Kara grumbled as she clutched her stomach, slowly walking back towards her suite. “Thank you for the dinner,” Kara said as she followed Lena into the room, kicking the door shut behind her.

 

            Lena gave her a quick kiss on the cheek smiling as she turned around and reached for the zipper, trying to tug it down. Kara quietly laughed, hurrying forward to brush her hands away and pull the zipper down for her, before she kicked off her own shoes and slipped out of her own dress, letting it pool to the floor. Watching Lena walk over to the liquor cabinet and pour them both some scotch, Kara wandered over to the easel that she’d received for their fake one-year anniversary, trailing her fingertips over the blank canvas while her mind wandered.

 

            “Got the urge to paint?” Lena asked, her warm fingers pressing into Kara’s lower back, as she handed her a glass.

 

            “Maybe,” Kara smiled around the rim of the glass as she took a sip, “go and sit down.”

 

            Raising her eyebrows, Lena walked over to the sofa and sat down, curling her legs beneath her as she sipped her drink. Kara started rummaging around in the nearest cupboard, pulling out a selection of paints and brushes as she cast small glances in Lena’s direction. They quietly talked while Kara painted, her forehead furrowing in concentration as she made delicate brushstrokes on the canvas and swirled paints together on the palette, while Lena drank and watched the confident way she held the brush, making each stroke with deliberate precision. By the time that Kara was done, it was late and the only sound was the crackling fire and the sound of Aoife panting as she lay beside the sofa that Lena was on.

 

            “Are you done?” Lena asked when Kara started putting brushes into a pot, and Kara bit her lip as she tried not to smile, nodding as Lena climbed to her feet and crossed over to the easel.

 

            “What the bloody hell is that?” Lena asked, frowning as she looked at the perfectly detailed painting of the Irish wolfhound staring back at her from the canvas.

 

            Kara gave her a wide grin, “its Aoife. Why, does it not look like her?”

 

            “I just sat there in my underwear for _hours_ , and you painted my _dog_ instead?” Lena incredulously asked, looking offended at the thought, before she burst into laughter. “You’re an asshole, Miss Kara.”

 

            Throwing her head back, Kara laughed, her eyes crinkling at the corners as she looked back down at Lena. Her laughter died on her lips as her mouth fell open at the blob of paint that Lena swiped across her cheek, and Kara spluttered as she dabbed at her face, her fingers coming away grey. Grimacing, she gave Lena an exasperated look, watching as she doubled over laughing. “Real mature, Princess,” Kara said, sticking her hands into the leftover paint on the palette and grabbing Lena’s face and leaving two handprints on her cheeks.

 

            “Ugh, you’re the worst,” Lena complained, as Kara let out a loud laugh, leaning in to kiss her, and then they were both laughing as they messily left paint streaks all over each other. By the time they finished they were both painted black, white and every shade in between, and both of them couldn’t stop laughing at their childish antics. “Come on, I think it’s time for a shower before bed,” Lena said, kissing Kara’s paint covered lips and twining their fingers together as she dragged Kara towards the bedroom.

 

            After a quick shower, they came out squeaky clean and dressed in soft pyjamas, before climbing into bed and cuddling up next to each other. Lena fell asleep quickly, but Kara couldn’t help but lay awake, worrying about what kind of trouble Lena was going to get them into. She trusted her to make the right call, but Kara couldn’t help but worry anyway. She just wanted things to be like they had been earlier – just fun and laughter, and love – and if Lena had to do what she had to do so that they could have that all the time, then Kara would let her do it.


	35. Chapter 35

            They stepped out of the car to camera flashes as they walked towards the glass office building, taking in the people milling around in the lobby. The place was elegantly decorated for Lucy’s birthday party, and Kara smiled as she offered Lena her arm, looking almost smug as she led her to the door, which was held open for them by a doorman, who bowed slightly to them both. Both of them wore the dresses that Kara had picked out – Lena’s a sultry red one that perfectly matched her lipstick, and Kara’s a more subdued grey that she hoped would let her blend in a little more with the businesspeople and trust fund guests that Lucy had invited. While Kara and Lena consorted with mostly royals, due to their duties, their titleless friends didn’t run in the same circles, which made Kara always feel a bit out of place at their parties, because she was frequently treated like an object of fascination. She hoped that tonight would be different, and knew that Lena would be able to diffuse some of the awkwardness with her charm and faint arrogance that seemed to draw people to Lena, even if she didn’t necessarily want them to. Most importantly though, Kara was going to have a nice chat to Lucy about keeping secrets from her when it potentially meant a backlash that could cause a lot of problems for Kara and her country.

 

            Their coats were collected, and the two girls accepted glasses of champagne as they moved through the room, with Kara scanning the crowd of people as they approached the main party area. It didn’t take Kara long to spot her friend, laughing at something Winn said, while she stood with her arm wrapped around James’ waist. Alex was there with Maggie too, and Kara perked up at the sight of all of her friends together, doubling her pace as she towed Lena along with her.

 

            “Happy birthday!” Kara exclaimed, and Lena echoed the sentiment with a little less exuberance, giving Lucy a warm smile. Holding out a beautifully wrapped gift, Kara buzzed with excitement, “this is for you. I’m not sure if there’s a gift pile, but I thought you might like it for tonight anyway.”

 

            Lucy laughed, curtsying slightly to both of them, before she accepted the gift and began to undo the ribbon. Everyone in the vicinity craned their necks to see what was inside the velvet box, and Lucy let out a quiet exclamation or awe as she stared down at the diamond necklace, and she quickly looked up at both girls with wide eyes. “This is too much.”

 

            Lena laughed, waving away Lucy’s protests and giving her a wry smile, “it’s a small token of our gratitude. Happy birthday, Lucy.”

 

            “Thank you,” Lucy smiled at her, handing the box to James and turning around so that he could fasten the necklace around her neck. Kara grinned with excitement and pulled her friend into a hug, forgetting protocol for a moment as she tried not to spill her champagne everywhere.

 

            After they’d all got caught up, they fell into easy conversation, with all of them laughing and joking, while Lucy took the occasional break to greet her guests. Lois turned up at some point, and Kara quietly conversed with the elder Lane sister, feeling slightly awkward, having not seen Lois since her cousin’s funeral. She looked well enough, but Kara could see that there was no fiery spark in her eyes that had used to light them up in anticipation of a debate, as her lawyer side took over. Kara felt her heart go out to Lois, because even though she hadn’t lost her fiancé, she _had_ lost all of her family, and she knew how hard it was to lose the people you loved. She just hoped that she didn’t have to go through it with Lena, which reminded her that she needed to have a chat with Lucy. Casting her eyes around the room, she spotted Lena in her red dress immediately, watching as she mingled with some of the other guests, even though she looked like she’d rather be doing literally anything else; as much as she hated it, she was playing nice for Kara’s sake. Using Lena’s distraction as a window of opportunity, Kara made a beeline for Lucy, nodding as she passed people who called out to greet her. Lucy was talking to Alex, and Kara gave them both warm smiled, before she faced her friend.

 

            “Lucy, would you mind if we have a word quickly?” Kara asked, giving her an apologetic smile, “I’m sorry to do this at your party, but it’s important.”

 

            A hesitant look crossed Lucy’s face, but she smiled and drained her glass, placing it on the tray of a passing server and gesturing for Kara to lead the way. Walking away from the party, they made their way to the lobby, and Kara fiddled with her hands as they slowly put some distance between themselves and the loud music and chatter coming from inside. “Why didn’t you tell me you were helping Lena?” Kara blurted our, her eyebrows furrowing together in confusion as she looked at her friend. “She’s not your client, and you’re my friend ... I thought you would’ve told me what you were up to.”

 

            “Oh, this is about her mother’s illegal money laundering? I thought you’d be glad that I’m helping her.”

 

            “What?”

 

            Lucy frowned slightly, “she, uh, Lena came to me with a couple of bank statements that showed her mom transferring money to other bank accounts.”

 

            “Wait what?” Kara exclaimed again, “she didn’t tell you?”

 

            A wary look crossed Lucy’s face as she tilted her head slightly, “tell me what?”

 

            “Those documents are forged, Luce,” Kara groaned, “she’s-“

 

            “Okay, no, you need to be quiet _right_ now,” Lucy briskly interrupted, “don’t tell me anything else because I don’t want to know about any of this and I can’t be involved. You're my client, not Lena, and I don't want to know about anything she's doing that might put me in a difficult situation with the law. My family owns a multi-billion-dollar law firm and the last thing I need is to get caught in the middle of whatever the Princess is planning. You need to think about your country too, Kara, and your crown. Tell her to stop whatever she’s doing, because I can guarantee you, the Queen is two steps ahead of her.”

 

            Kara blanched slightly, “she _lied_ to you? Lena doesn’t lie though. She said that you said you’d help her.”

 

            “I did,” Lucy nodded in agreement, “when she presented a few documents and said her mom was laundering money. I never agreed to ... whatever she’s going to do. Where did she even get- you know what, never mind. The less I know, the better.”

 

            “Right, of course,” Kara murmured, feeling slightly panicked at the thought of how much trouble Lena was going to get herself into. Perhaps it had been naïve of Kara to think that she’d come out on top, but without the help of a lawyer, Lena wouldn’t be able to pull off her plan, and Kara was worried and mad. “Thank you. We should get you back to your party.”

 

            Giving Lucy a bright smile, which was slowly returned, Kara fell into easy conversation with her friend, pretending as if their talk hadn’t happened, and plucked two flutes of champagne off a nearby server and handed one to Lucy. Her own went down quickly, and she roped Winn into a conversation about forging documents, trying to probe around into what her tech savvy friend knew about that kind of stuff. Winn was all too obliging to share his knowledge, and Kara listened with rapt attention, drinking as she filed away every piece of information she could. Soon, Winn got swept up into a conversation with Alex and James, and Kara wandered off to a corner, nursing a glass of wine as she watched everyone else enjoy the party. Ignoring the looks cast her way, Kara hovered at the fringes of the people dancing and drinking, a slightly peeved look on her face as she thought about Lena, who was nowhere in sight.

 

            Then all of a sudden there she was, slipping in between two men talking nearby as she made her way towards Kara, and Kara felt a twist of jealousy as she watched the two men’s eyes roam up and down Lena. Smiling brightly, with slightly glassy eyes, Lena reached out a hand for Kara, “there you are! I’ve been looking all over for you, darling. Why’re you lurking in a dark corner like drip?”

 

            “I’m avoiding people,” Kara muttered, and Lena let out a loud laugh, tilting her head to the side as she smiled up at Kara, running her hand up her bare arm.

 

            “Oh? Who might that be?”

 

            “You,” Kara stiffly replied, raising her glass of wine to her lips and draining the glass within seconds. She was already a little unsteady on her feet, and felt the wine settle in her stomach, knowing that it was going to push her past tipsy.

 

            She avoided looking at Lena, and so Kara didn’t see her smile falter and drop, or the confused crease between her furrowed brows. “Have I done something to piss you off?” Lena asked, sounding a little surprised.

 

            Kara gently brushed Lena’s hand off her arm, giving her a tense smile while she avoided those searching green eyes, trying to find the answer on Kara’s face. “We’ll talk about it tomorrow.”

 

  Without another word, she walked away, slipping through the crowd and dumping her empty glass on a small table. Looking for her sister, Kara kept pushing forwards, stopping and glancing down at the warm hand on her arm. Looking up, she took in the puzzled frown on Lena’s face, and bit back a sigh, before letting the crowd swallow her up again, knowing that Lena was following close behind. Breaking through the sea of people, Kara walked into the lobby, listening to the clicks of Lena’s heels as she hurriedly walked after her, and Kara walked to the corner near the doors to get as far away from any prying ears. Her plan didn’t work very well though, because the press was still waiting outside, and camera flashes spot the dark of the night as photographers snapped photos of the two royals.

 

            “Hey, what’s going on, love?” Lena asked, and Kara sighed, closing her eyes as she turned around to face her.

 

            “Lena, it’s one of my best friend’s birthday party; can’t we do this tomorrow?” Kara wearily asked her.

 

            A flicker of annoyance passed Lena’s face, “well you’re _clearly_ pissed, and I’d like to know why, if that’s okay.”

 

            “Because you _lied_ to me!” Kara quietly exclaimed.

 

 _“When?”_ Lena asked, her eyebrows shooting up in surprise at the accusation.

 

            A laugh of surprise fell past Kara’s lips and she shook her head, giving Lena an incredulous look. “Are _you serious?_ I don’t know, maybe about how Lucy is helping you, when Lucy told me a _completely_ different story to what your told me.”

 

            Understanding dawned on Lena’s face and she rubbed the back of her neck as she looked down at the floor, “ah, well no, I _didn’t_ lie, but I didn’t tell Lucy the truth. I didn’t lie to you either though; I just didn’t give you a breakdown of everything.”

 

            “You told her that Lillian is laundering money!” Kara furiously exclaimed, struggling to keep her voice down.

 

            “Well yeah, but I can’t tell her the whole truth, Kara. She’s a lawyer, and I’m not a bloody idiot,” Lena scoffed.

 

            “You need to stop whatever you’re doing _right now_ ,” Kara told her, and Lena spluttered in protest, opening her mouth to say something, before Kara cut her off, “no, I’m serious, Lena. It’s all well and good for you to want to make things easier for us, but you’re going to get yourself, and other people, in trouble. What if this falls back onto Lucy, and she loses her license to practice law, hm? Did that factor into your grand plan? This is going to be more trouble than its worth, Lena, and you could bring us all down with you, and I know I said I'd let you try but ... this is going to go too far.”

 

            A bewildered expression flashed across Lena’s face, “what part of what I told you did you _not_ understand? Did you think that it _wasn’t_ going to be shady and illegal? I have to sink to my mom’s level if I want to beat her. Come on, Kara, even you’re not _that_ naïve; blackmail and forgeries? You have a degree in political science and you don’t know that they’re illegal?”

 

            “Of _course_ I do!” Kara hissed, “but I trusted you to know what you’re doing, and have people backing you up so that you _wouldn’t_ incriminate yourself!”

 

            “I’m not going to incriminate myself, you silly cow,” Lena sighed, a small smile playing on her lips.

 

            A flicker of anger ran across Kara’s face, “this isn’t _funny_ , Lena! Do you know how much is at stake here without us going through with your idiotic plan? Your brother is the King of Thorul, so you don’t need to worry about anything unless something happens to him, but I’m the _only_ one left in my family, and I have to make sure that the crown stays in my family. If this goes wrong, I’m going to lose my crown and country to either the Daxamites or it’ll abolished. That’s _not_ how I want to be remembered!”

 

            “What, so you’re just happy to let my mom hold what I did over my head? It’s okay for her to threaten me, but not me to threaten her? Sounds a bit hypocritical, _darling.”_

 

            “Stop it,” Kara quietly snapped, “you know I would never want her to have that kind of power over you, and it’s not fair for you to say that I would. At this point though, there’s nothing we can do that’ll make things easier, and I think it’s time we accept that.”

 

            Lena let out a surprised laugh, her eyebrows shooting up as she gave Kara an incredulous look, “uh, that’s not bloody likely. I’d rather go to prison for a botched blackmail attempt than let her control me again. You wouldn’t understand though; you’ve never had parents like mine.”

 

            Kara winced slightly, “don’t act as if I wasn’t in the same situation with you with the contract.”

 

            “That _stupid_ fucking contract,” Lena sighed.

 

            “Yes, the contract, which my parents _did_ sign. I know that things are different, but they did that to me too, and I learnt to let it go. I don’t want to hate them for the rest of my life.”

 

            “You’re saying I should just _let it go?”_ Lena asked, looking taken aback, “I’m glad that you were able to forgive your parents, but it’s not that easy for me and you know it. I don’t want to let it go; I want to find a way out of this, and I know what I’m doing.”

 

            “Well I don’t think that you do, and I don’t want to be with someone who’s going to be in prison!”

 

            They both fell into silence as Kara finished talking, staring at each other with wide eyes, both of them ignoring the camera flashes outside which would’ve caught the whole thing. Kara winced at the thought of what the press would be saying tomorrow, and wanted to kick herself for drinking so much and letting her fear and frustration get the better of her; she should’ve just left it until tomorrow.

 

            “So what, you’re asking me to pick between you or taking down my mom?” Lena asked after a few moments.

 

            Kara was slow to reply, looking down at the tiled floor as she played with a ring on her finger. Eventually she shrugged, pushing her glasses up her nose as she met Lena’s hard stare. “I don’t know. Yes. No. I just want us to be happy, Lena. I don’t want to worry anymore.”

 

            “That’s what I’m trying to do for us,” Lena sharply told her, her eyes glistening slightly, as if she was going to cry.

 

            “Lena-“

 

            “No, it’s fine,” Lena mumbled, looked away as Kara gave her a pleading look. Her eyes landed on the camera flashes outside the window, and Kara saw the spark of anger in her eyes and groaned as Lena stepped close to the windows and flipped off the paparazzi.

 

            Dragging her away, Kara sighed, “you know that I didn’t-“

 

            “Just forget about it,” Lena told her, giving her a strained smile, “you were right; we should talk about it tomorrow.” Before Kara could say anything, Lena leant in and gave her a gentle kiss on her cheek, wiping away the smudge of red lipstick, before brushing past Kara and making her way back to the party. Pausing a few moments, Kara pulled herself together and took a deep breath, before following after Lena.

 

\---

 

            The next morning, Kara groaned as she pushed the covers off her head, wincing as bright sunlight filtered into the room. She was alone in bed, but the other side was rumpled, and she vaguely remembered Lena coming home with her, but as Kara blearily squinted, she couldn’t make out any blurry figures lurking around. Slipping on her glasses, she stumbled out of bed, rubbing at her temples as she dragged herself to the bathroom, regretting how much she’d had to drink last night. Peeling off her underwear, Kara slipped into the shower and let the warm water and soap wash away the smell of alcohol, and wake her up a bit more. As she stood under the water, she groaned at the thought of her argument with Lena, even though it hadn’t really escalated too much, and felt a twinge of guilt at how they’d left things last night. Lena hadn’t spoken to her since she’d rejoined the party – not even in the car ride home, or when they’d slipped into bed – and Kara felt bad, and the thought of having to go through it all sober dampened her mood even more than her hangover did. Knowing that she couldn’t stay in the shower forever, Kara shut off the water and wrapped a fluffy towel around herself, before making her way into her room, and slipping into the vast closet. Dressing casually, she took a deep breath and walked towards the bedroom door, lurching unsteadily and tripping over her feet as she pulled open the door. Cheeks turning pink, Kara met Lena’s cool stare and delicately arched eyebrow, and gave her the barest hint of a smile.

 

            “Morning,” Kara murmured, straightening her shirt as she crossed over to the small dining table, where Lena was reading the newspaper and sipping a cup of coffee. She didn’t look hungover, she looked slightly pissed as she sat in the silk gown, waiting for Kara to say something else. Breakfast for two was spread out on the table, and Kara slowly sank into the chair across from Lena’s, pulled a glass of water towards her and gratefully draining it. Carefully setting it down, Kara ran her finger around the rim of it and grimaced as she looked down at the wood grain of the table. “I’m sorry.”

 

            “For what?” Lena asked in a clipped tone, briskly turning the page of the newspaper as she carried on reading.

 

            Kara winced slightly, glancing up and staring at Lena, who was intently reading the page as she tried to ignore Kara. “For last night.”

 

            “Which part?”

 

            “All of it. Well, no, I was right about a lot of things, but it came out wrong. I wish you’d let me wait until today. I _am_ sorry that I made it seem like I was giving you an ultimatum though,” Kara quickly blurted out, feeling a lump form in her throat.

 

            Sighing, Lena set the newspaper down with a rustle of the pages, and crossed her arms over her chest as she gave Kara an unimpressed look. “Oh, so you’re _not_ asking me to pick our relationship over taking my mom down?”

 

            “Listen to yourself, Lena!” Kara exclaimed, “do you not hear how crazy that sounds? Why is it so hard for you to just want us to be happy, and trust that I won’t let your mom ruin everything?”

 

            “I want to do it so we _can_ be happy, love,” Lena said, scowling at Kara, “and you’re putting too much faith in hoping that she won’t, but that doesn’t mean that it’s going to pay off. I’m sorry, but hope isn’t enough for me; I don’t have your optimism.”

 

            Climbing to her feet, Kara walked around the table and cupped Lena’s face in her hands, tilting her head up so that they were looking into each other’s eyes. She let out a quiet laugh at the pout and frown on Lena’s face, smoothing away the wrinkles and bending down to kiss the pursed lips. Lena bit back a smile, raising her eyebrows as Kara pulled back. “I love you, and I trust _you_ , but I don’t trust your mom not to take it a step further,” Kara told her, “and even prison couldn’t take you away from me, but my reputation is important for me, and so is my country. I’m sorry.”

 

            “I’m sorry too,” Lena sighed, covering one of Kara’s hands, still placed on her cheek, with her own, “but what else can we do?”

 

            Before Kara could reply, there was a knock on the door, and they both dropped their hands, with Kara turning to look at the door. “Come in.”

 

            The door was pushed open, and Jess stepped in, curtsying to both of them, and looking a little flustered. “Forgive me, Your Majesty, Your Highness, but there’s something that you should know, Your Highness.”

 

            “Well, what is it?” Lena asked, seeing the uncertain look that crossed Jess’ face.

 

            “It’s your mother,” the other girl said, “she’s been taken to hospital in Mercer City. Your brother has requested your presence.”


	36. Chapter 36

            “Tell him I’m … indisposed,” Lena said, looking past Kara to give Jess the order. The other girl curtsied and dipped her head, before backing out of the room and closing the door.

 

            Kara stared down at Lena with raised eyebrows, “Lena, she’s in hospital. Don’t you want to know why?”

 

            “Not particularly. No,” Lena haughtily replied, reaching for her coffee. Kara gave her a pointed look and Lena sighed, taking a sip and setting her cup down. “They’ll tell me if she dies, and if she doesn’t, then why do I care?”

 

            “Well what if she _is_ dying?” Kara asked, “wouldn’t you like to go and see her before she does? What if you never get the chance.”

 

            “Quite frankly, I have nothing to say to her, darling, and if she dies, then there’s nothing my visiting her could do to stop that from happening. Besides, she _can’t_ be dying, because there’s nothing wrong with her.”

 

            Sighing, Kara dropped down into the seat next to Lena, cradling her hand in her own, “that’s not how it works, honey, and I think that you’d regret it if you didn’t see her. Trust me, I know how it feels. I’ll admit, things are different in your family to how they were in mine, but I don’t want you to miss out on this. I’m not saying that it’ll change anything, but if it’s something serious, then you get to make your peace with her … if it’s not, well, you just look like a concerned daughter, and it might help your case with your mom.”

 

            The last part was what got her, and Kara knew it when she spoke it, and Lena sighed, pulling her hands back and climbing to her feet. “Fine, but I hope you know I’m doing this for you and _not_ for her.”

 

            Grimacing slightly, Kara nodded, and resigned herself to the fact that it was the best that she could hope for from Lena. Leaning down for a kiss, Lena pressed her lips against Kara’s, and then again, before she wandered off to the bedroom to get changed. Kara ate her lukewarm breakfast while she waited for Lena to get ready, picking at the salmon and trying to ignore the throbbing in her head from too much wine and champagne. Lost in her own thoughts, she ran over all of the possible things that could’ve happened to Lillian, and her mind turned to the worst, because she had no good experiences with hospitals, but she hoped that she was wrong, because as much as Lillian had interfered with everything, Kara would never wish death upon her, or for Lena to become orphaned. She knew that when Lena said she didn’t care, she truly did mean it, but Kara couldn’t fault her for not wanting to mend things with Lillian – she had been hurt one too many times, and Kara knew that maybe she was pushing her luck by pressing Lena to go, but a part of her was hoping that there was the _slightest_ chance it could help clear the air between them, just a little.

 

\---

 

            The hospital parking lot was filled with cameras, reporters and photographers, all of the clamoring for the attention of the two girls as they were escorted through the media crowd and into the safety of the hospital. The sterile smell of the hospital washed over them, and Kara turned three shades whiter as a small feeling of fear grew inside her – she hated hospitals more than anything – but she kept one hand on Lena’s lower back to help keep her moving. Lena looked unbothered by the fact that they were there, but there was a tenseness in her shoulders that didn’t go unnoticed by Kara. The retinue of bodyguards surrounded them as they walked through the hospital, taking in the sick people and doctor and nurses rushing around. The only thing out of place was the high levels of security lining the walls as they were led to Lillian’s room by a nervous intern. Bodyguards in suits lined the walls near the private room, and Lillian’s assistant came rushing over, curtsying to both of them and politely asking them to follow her. Kara reached out to give Lena’s hand a quick squeeze as they stopped outside a door, the blinds in the window drawn shut, and Lena squeezed back, taking a deep breath and squaring her shoulders.

 

            The fluorescent lights were on, and four pairs of eyes turned towards them as they entered. Kara politely nodded, while Lena curtsied to her brother and mother, and took a step towards Lillian, who was laying in a narrow hospital bed. Her face looked sickly pale under the fluorescent lights, and part of it Kara attributed to the wires and needles attached to her arms and snaking under the hospital gown she wore. “What happened?” Lena curtly asked.

 

            “A tumour, on my pancreas,” Lillian told her, smiling slightly, “don’t worry, it’s benign.”

 

            “Oh,” Lena murmured, and Kara saw her shoulders, “so you’re having surgery then?”

 

            Lillian looked expectantly at the doctor, who cleared her throat slightly and politely dipped her head. “Her Majesty’s pancreas has an insulinoma tumour, Your Highness. That means that while it hasn’t metastasized, this kind of tumour means that the pancreas can’t regulate the amount of insulin that’s being secreted. This means that Her Majesty, your mother, has hypoglycemia – low blood sugar – which is typically seen in people with diabetes. Usually this is combated through eating, but with the tumour, it keeps secreting insulin, which means that levels are falling further than normal.”

 

            “So what, you’ll take it out and it’ll go back to normal?” Lena asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

 

            The doctor hesitated, and her eyes darted over to Lillian for a moment, before she looked at Lena. “With the location of the tumour, it’s unlikely that we’ll be able to remove it without taking a large portion of the pancreas. This means that it’ll have a hard time correcting the levels until the organ regenerates its cells, which could be … problematic, what with the already low glucose levels.”

 

            “So …” Lena said, giving the doctor and expectant look.

 

            “The best course of action would be a transplant.”

 

            “Okay,” Lena said, “well, I assume that everything’s been arranged.”

 

            Lex cleared his throat and Lena and Kara both turned to look at him, “we haven’t got a donor yet.”

 

            “What do you _mean_ you don’t have a donor? Did you not call it in as an emergency? They’ll have to move her to the top of the list. Not to mention the fact that she’s the bloody Queen.”

 

            “Forgive me, Your Highness, but it’s _not_ an emergency. Not yet, at any rate. We were hoping that perhaps a willing donor would be able to give just a small portion of a healthy pancreas,” the doctor informed her.

 

            Lena sighed, and looked expectantly at Lex, “well? I assume that you’re going to go ahead with the surgery then. Do you need me to sign any documents?”

 

            “I can’t,” Lex told her, a pained expression on his face, “we’re not the same blood type. I have dad’s.”

 

            Kara bit back an exclamation of surprise, realizing why Lena had been asked to come, and she watched as the truth dawned on Lena’s face. “Me? You want _my_ pancreas? We’re both the same blood type?”

 

            “You’re type A, so am I,” Lillian said from the bed, “Lex is type B.” 

 

            Lena stared at her incredulously, and she could see how hard it was for Lillian to ask this of her from the way that the muscles of her mom’s face tightened. Turning to look at everyone, Lena nodded slightly, “if I could have a moment alone with my mother, please.” The doctors quickly filed out, but Kara and Lex remained where they were, until Lena raised her eyebrows. “I said alone.” With a curious look off Kara, and an uncertain one off her brother, Lena watched them file out, leaving her alone with Lillian, who had remained surprisingly quiet throughout the whole explanation, and Lena turned to meet the hard stare drilling into the back of her head. With a slow, smugness, Lena walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge of it, arching an eyebrow at Lillian. “Well.”

 

            “Lena,” her mom sighed, giving her a pleading look, “I know I haven’t been … good to you-“

 

            “Well now, we know that’s a bloody _understatement_ ,” Lena snorted.

 

            “Yes,” Lillian agreed, swallowing thickly as if it hurt her to even have this conversation, “but I’m begging you … please. I’ll do anything you want; I just- I need your help. Whatever you want from me, I’ll give it to you.”

 

            Lena gave her a wry smile, “I thought I’d already helped you enough by making you popular again. Was that not enough? Why should I help you? Give me _one_ good reason, and I’ll do it.”

 

            Closing her eyes, Lillian breathed slowly as she rested against the pillows. “I can’t give you a good reason. I’m your mom, but that’s not enough of a reason. You’ve already broken the contract, and Kara was right – no matter what I dig up on you, I wouldn’t expose you because I don’t want the backlash. I don’t _deserve_ your help, I know that, but I also know that you’re not like me. You’re not cold, or cruel, and I know that you have so much love in your heart, so I'm asking you to not let me suffer. Ask me for whatever you want. I’ll do it; I’ll beg if you want me to.”

 

            “You won’t expose me? You’ll stop digging for dirt?” Lena asked, her mouth feeling dry as she spoke.

 

            “I’ll leave you alone. You’ll never have to see me again if you don’t want to … and I’ll owe you a favour.”

 

            They were silent for a few minutes, while Lena picked at a loose thread on the cuff of her coat, turning over the idea in her mind. Lillian didn’t interrupt her, but she watched her daughter closely, taking in the confused frown that furrowed her brow, and the way that her mouth turned down at the corners. After a while, Lena looked up, having finally made up her mind, blinking in surprise as she met Lillian’s gaze. “Ask me.”

 

            “Please, Lena, help me. Do this for me, please,” Lillian quietly asked.

 

            Sliding off the bed, Lena walked over to the door and threw it open, standing aside for everyone to file back inside, and she nodded to the doctor. “Let’s do this.”

 

\---

 

            Kara watched as Lena groggily stirred, frowning slightly as her eyelids fluttered open to the bright lights shining down on her face. “Oh, so I’m alive then,” Lena grumbled, and Kara couldn’t help but laugh as she reached out for her hand, which was covered with various wires.

 

            The heart monitor beeped steadily beside the bed, and Kara glanced at it, “I wouldn’t let you get away from me that easily.”

 

            “Mm,” Lena mumbled, her eyes half-shut as she tried to adjust to the lights, “how long have I been out? And how much of my pancreas did the old cow take?”

 

            “The operation for you was a little under two hours – the doctor said it all went perfectly – and you’ve been out for a couple more hours. Your mom should be out by now too, and they only took a little bit, so you'll be perfectly healthy. I'm more concerned about your liver,” Kara said, standing up slightly so that she could lean over and kiss Lena on the forehead. “That was a very selfless and brave thing you did. I’m proud of you.”

 

            To her surprise, Lena burst into laughter, her head lolling to the side as she peered up at Kara through half-lidded eyes, “mm, not entirely true. She’s not going to dig around anymore; she said you were right anyway.”

 

  “Wha- you bargained with your _pancreas!?”_ Kara quietly exclaimed, her mouth falling open in surprise. " _Please_ tell me you didn't blackmail your mom with your organs."

 

            Lena sighed, her hand reaching out as she searched for Kara’s, and Kara obligingly held her hand, raising it to kiss her knuckles. “No, not really – she said this before I agreed to help – but it was a nice deal. Don’t you think?”

 

            Suppressing a sigh, Kara gave Lena a small smile and shook her head, “what am I going to do with you, huh?”

 

            “Marry me,” Lena sighed as her eyes fluttered closed again, and Kara quietly laughed, giving her hand a squeeze.

 

            “Maybe one day.”

 

             _“Maybe?”_ Lena asked, opening one eye as she frowned.

 

            Kissing her hand again, Kara laughed and climbed to her feet, gently placing Lena’s hand back down on the hospital sheets. “Definitely, but right now, I should go and tell your doctor that you’re awake.”

 

            Lena didn’t protest as Kara slipped out of the room, and she quickly tracked down the doctor so that she could return to Lena’s bedside. After a quick checkup from the doctor, who assured them both that Lena’s stats were normal, and the small incision on her abdomen would heal nicely, Kara was left alone with Lena again, who had drifted off into a light sleep. Gently brushing Lena’s dark hair out of her face, Kara caressed her cheek, before settling back in the stiff chair with the intention of staying exactly where she was until Lena woke up again. No one disturbed them, except for one nurse doing a check up and hour later, until there was a gentle tap on the door, which quietly swung open. Kara glanced over her shoulder, doing a double-take when she saw Lex poking his head inside, quickly followed by the rest of him. He gave her a hesitant smile, before he glanced at Lena, who was out cold, looking very young with the sharp lines of her face wiped smooth as she slept.

 

            “My mother’s out of surgery,” Lex informed Kara as he came to stand next to her, looking down at his sister. “Everything went well, I assume?”

 

            “Yes,” Kara quietly told him, keeping her eyes trained on Lena’s face, “and with your mother?”

 

            “They got it all, and they think Lena’s will take.” Kara nodded, unsure what to say next as they both silently watched Lena sleep. Neither of them spoke for a while, and the only sound was the heart monitor beeping and the other machines whirring. Kara didn’t look away from Lena’s face until Lex cleared his throat, and she glanced up at him in surprise. “I’m not sure why she agreed, but if my mom offered her something … I’ll make sure my mom doesn’t hurt her. Whatever you might think, I love my sister. I’m glad that you actually _do_ love her – she’s been hurt too many times before.” She didn’t know what to say, so she just nodded, watching as Lex smoothed Lena’s hair back, leaning down to kiss her forehead, before he nodded to Kara and slipped back out of the room.

 

            It was hours before Lena woke up again, and this time she seemed less groggy and a little grouchier, so Kara called the nurse to get her more pain medication, which seemed to relax her a little. Lyra and Jess had both stopped by to drop off a few personal things, as well as inform the two girls on what the media was saying, as well as other official business – apparently their argument from last night was in the news, but neither of them could bring themselves to care about that now – and they left soon afterwards, leaving behind bouquets of flowers for Lena, and Kara gave Lyra instructions for the biggest bunch she could find to be delivered as well. They spent the rest of the evening laying side by side on the bed, while Kara read aloud to Lena, or showed her the most recent sketches in the book Lyra had packed into the bag. When they both got hungry, Kara sent one of her bodyguards to fetch food for them both, and the wheely tray was covered with every kind of Lena’s favourite food, which they shared as they watched reruns of Gilmore Girls on the boxy TV in the hospital room. By the time it reached midnight, both of them had been fast asleep for hours, Lena’s head cradled in the crook between Kara’s shoulder and neck, with Kara’s head resting on the top of Lena’s as they slept soundly, breathing in sync and kept warm by the thick blanket packed for them, as much as by the feeling of each other’s body pressed close as they lay wrapped up in each other.


	37. Chapter 37

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so ... yeah

            Lena was forced to stay in hospital for a few days, with the doctors being a little overly cautious because of Lena’s title, as well as Kara’s insistence that she be well and truly fine, even though it drove Lena mad. She hated being bedridden and was irritable with everyone, cursing and grumbling when the doctors told her that she should rest, and looking sullen as Kara lay beside her or sat in the chair next to the bed. When she was let out, with the promise of staying in bed, and they went back to Lena’s estate, so she could be comfortable in her own home. To try and cheer her up, Kara called Lena’s friends, who stopped by to visit, along with Alex and Maggie, and had Lyra and Jess running around fetching whatever obscene things that Kara asked them to, which included none less than scones flown in from England, a beautifully hand stitched blanket, embroidered with flowers, from France, as well as a dozen new books in a variety of languages. Along with the gifts came Kara’s undivided attention, which soothed some of Lena’s frustration, and helped make the time cooped up inside more bearable.

 

            By the end of the week, she found herself in her greenhouse, sitting down with a blanket draped across her lap, while they drank tea amongst the rose bushes and trellises of ivy. Sunlight filtered down through the panes of glass, and the smell of dozens of different flowers mixed together, surrounding the two girls in a blanket of spring, as they laughed while Kara tried to read through the book she held open in her lap. “Lena! Stop laughing! It’s supposed to be a _sad_ poem,” Kara protested, as Lena laughed alongside her.

 

            “Sorry, but could you pick a _more_ obvious choice for your favourite poet. Dylan Thomas? Really, Kara? That’s the most basic answer you could’ve given,” Lena said.

 

            “He’s good for a reason, Lena,” Kara sighed, closing the book and giving her a disapproving look, “besides, not everyone reads obscure Russian poetry, or whichever kind is your favourite.”

 

            Lena wrinkled her nose, “fine, keep going. I actually don’t mind this one; it’s about his father dying.”

 

            “Okay, considering the fact that your mom’s _still_ in hospital, I’m going to … _not_ finish it,” Kara said, giving Lena a pointed look.

 

            “Ugh, fine. Whatever. It’s not that easy to get rid of her though, apparently. I only have myself to blame though,” Lena sighed, reaching forward to pluck a grape off the bunch on the small table, wincing slightly as her stitches pulled.

 

            Fingers circling Lena’s wrist, Kara gently pushed Lena back, and plucked a few grapes from the plate and handed them to her. “Don’t strain yourself, you’ll tear your stitches open.”

 

            “You worry too much.”

 

            “You worry too little,” Kara retorted, giving Lena a small smile, “blackmail, bribery, donating to shady organisations, bartering with your organs. It’s a miracle that this is the most trouble you’ve ever been in.”

 

            Lena pursed her lips as she frowned at Kara, tilting her head to the side in the way that she knew Kara found endearing, “does my recklessness bother you?”

 

            “No,” Kara sighed, “I knew what I was getting into from the moment that I walked into that room and agreed to give the contract a shot. You’ve always had a rebellious streak – I kind of love it.”

 

            “Got a thing for bad girls, huh? I never would’ve picked it,” Lena smirked, arching an eyebrow as she popped a grape into her mouth.

 

            “Just you,” Kara said, leaning over to kiss her, before she picked up her teacup and took a sip, smiling around the rim of it while she watched Lena roll her eyes.

 

            They sat there for a while longer, with Kara silently reading, while Lena closed her eyes and listened to the plants and leaves rustle from the gentle breeze that drifted in through the open doors to the greenhouse. At the even, deep breathing from Lena, Kara looked up and smiled, realizing that Lena was sleeping, and reached for her sketchbook, which was never far from her fingertips. Quietly, she started drawing the sight before her, a small smile curling her lips every time she glanced up at Lena, checking that she was getting the curve of her lips right, and the way that Lena’s eyebrows were pulled down low over her closed eyes. It wasn’t until a crease formed between her eyebrows, and her lips started turning down at the corners, that Kara put her pencil down and reached out to carefully shake Lena awake.

 

            She watched as green eyes slowly blinked open, and Lena’s frown deepened a little as she glanced around the greenhouse. “Sorry,” Kara quietly said, “you were grimacing; it looked like you were in pain.”

 

            “It’s nothing,” Lena said, waving away Kara’s concerns, but when Kara shook a few pills out of the little bottle, and poured her a glass of water, Lena washed them down with no protests, and some of the tightness in her shoulders seemed to fade away. “Thank you.”

 

            Kara gave her a loving smile, her eyes crinkling at the corners as she reached out to brush Lena’s hair out of her face. They were left undisturbed until Jess appeared, stepping around a small orange tree and a patch of red tulips, curtsying to both women as she stopped a few feet away from the table. “Forgive me, Your Majesty, Your Highness, it’s your mother, Princess.”

 

            “What does she want _this_ time? A kidney?” Lena snarkily asked, arching an eyebrow as she smirked at Jess. Kara bit her lip to stop herself from smiling, and reached out to give Lena’s knee a quick squeeze in warning to behave, even if it was only in front of her assistant.

 

            “She has asked for you to visit her in hospital,” Jess informed them, and Kara watched as Lena shifted in her seat, leaning forward slightly as her interest was piqued. “Her assistant said that she has a gift for you, and would like to give it to you in person.”

 

            Kara watched Lena’s face, taking in the way that her eyes narrowed slightly, and her eyebrows pulled down into a scowl. “What kind of gift?”

 

            “I didn’t like to ask, Your Highness.”

 

            “Well, perhaps I’m not well enough to visit,” Lena haughtily replied, “selflessly giving a piece of my pancreas could have incapacitated by for a while. She’ll have to wait until my stitches are out.”

 

            Jess cleared her throat slightly, looking down at the cobblestoned floor in the middle of the greenhouse. “Your mother’s assistant told me to tell you that if you refuse, I should tell you that it pertains to some sensitive information that will be in your benefit. Apparently the Queen Mother has some important documents that you need to sign in order for the gift to be received. Something that you spoke of before the surgery.”

 

            Starting slightly, Kara tried to keep her face neutral as she realized that Jess was talking about Lillian offering to stay out of Lena’s business if she agreed to be a donor. Keeping her face blank, Kara tilted her head to the side and looked at Lena with slightly wide eyes. Lena cleared her throat slightly, casually shrugging as her eyes darted to Kara’s face, before looking back at Jess and giving her a small nod. “Bring the car around. May as well see what this is all about,” Lena said, trying to act nonchalant as she balled the blanket up and pushed herself up as she gritted her teeth. Kara scrambled to her feet to help her up, while Jess nervously fluttered around, unsure whether she should touch Lena or not.

 

            Steady on her feet, Lena gave Kara a reassuring smile and straightened up, smoothing the wrinkles out of her shirt and leaving the blanket on her chair. Pressing her hand against Lena’s lower back, Kara herded her down the path, while Jess waited, before falling into step behind them.

 

\---

 

            “I’ll wait outside,” Kara quietly told Lena, giving her arm a quick squeeze as she smiled reassuringly. “Let me know if you want me to come in. You know, for support and all that.”

 

            Lena quietly laughed, stretching up to give her a soft kiss, one hand pressed against her stomach as the stitches strained at the movement. “I’m sure I can handle her, but thank you.” Pulling back, Lena gave her a small wink, leaving Kara to sit down in one of the chairs in the hallway, surrounded by her bodyguards, while she turned towards Lillian’s room, waiting as her mom’s security opened the door for her and let her inside.

 

            Lex was there, ever the doting son, and Lena gave him a tight smile as she curtsied slightly, before curtsying to her mom, who was propped up on three pillows and looking more lively than the last time Lena had seen her, before her surgery. “Mom. You look … less awful.”

 

            Letting out a snort of laughter, Lillian shook her head, giving Lena a sharp smile. “I see your manners are still in need of some work.”

 

            “Leave us,” Lena said to Lex, who blinked in surprise at being ordered around by his little sister. He bristled slightly, but Lillian gave him a pointed look, and he climbed to his feet, leaving them both alone. “You seem to be summoning me a lot lately,” Lena coolly said, crossing her arms over her chest, “I’m not sure that I like it.”

 

            “It’s for you benefit,” Lillian curtly replied, reaching for something in the top draw of the unit beside the bed. She came out with a thin file, holding it out to Lena, who hesitated a moment, before her curiosity got the better of her. Taking the folder, she opened it and stared down at the first page.

 

            Reading quickly, Lena let out a cold laugh and threw the file onto the foot of the bed, crossing her arms over her chest as she looked at Lillian. “Are you bloody serious? You want me to sign _that?”_

 

            “Well _I_ have.”

 

            “Yes, I can bloody well see that,” Lena laughed, “I am _not_ though. You must be having a bloody laugh if you think I’m attaching my name to something like that again. I’m flattered that you went to the effort though, but it’s not entirely ethical to trade organs, mom.”

 

            “Well I told you I would stop digging up things on you; this is a written contract that agrees to it. It’s airtight, I can assure you. You can even have your lawyer look at it,” Lillian told her.

 

            Lena shook her head, giving her mom a look of disbelief. “Yeah, I read it, mom, but I’m not going to get caught up in some blackmail or bribery scam when you have a tantrum. I’ve learnt my lesson about doing things that can come back and bite me on the ass. I’ll just have to take your word for it.”

 

            “Yes, I’m well aware of what you were using your money for,” Lillian sniffed in disapproval, giving Lena a hard look that almost made her cower. “I’ve had my private investigator find more of these people; there are arrest warrants out for them and I’m told that three members of the organization have already been taken into custody. All of my evidence has been burnt or destroyed. You have what you wanted.”

 

            “How do I know you won’t drag it back up when it suits you?” Lena asked, cocking an eyebrow as she smiled slightly.

 

            Lillian laughed, giving her daughter a wry smile, “I suppose you’ll just have to take my word for it.”

 

            Rolling her eyes, Lena laughed, reaching out for the file and tearing it in half, before shoving it into her handbag. “I suppose I will. Was there anything else you wanted, or just to prove that you actually do have some integrity?”

 

            “How are you?”

 

            “Fine,” Lena curtly replied, hesitating slightly, before sighing, “I assume that the pancreas has taken?”

 

            “It has,” Lillian nodded, “I should be out in a few days.” They fell into silence for a few moments, and Lena stared intently at the pattern on the expensive sheets that had been brought in for her mom. “I wanted to thank you, Lena. I know you don’t … care for me. I’m grateful to you for what you did, and I can’t ever repay you for it. I’ll keep my word, I promise you – for whatever that's worth to you – and I hope you’ll think better of me for it.”

 

            Shifting uncomfortably, Lena shrugged, “well, it was Kara who convinced me to come, so ...”

 

            “And it was for her sake that you agreed to the surgery, I know,” Lillian said, “but thank you all the same.”

 

            Nodding, Lena glanced up at Lillian, who was frowning slightly as she gave her a searching look. Unsure of what to say, Lena cleared her throat slightly, “well, I should probably be leaving. You probably need your rest and … all of that.”

 

            “Just one more thing,” Lillian quickly said, reaching into the top drawer of the unit again. “This is for you.” Lena looked down at the box that Lillian held out to her with a puzzled look on her face, reaching out to take it, before she slipped it into her bag, and nodded to Lillian – she’d open it later. “I hope you’re happy.”

 

            “Goodbye, mom,” Lena murmured, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders as she made her peace with her mother, realizing that Kara was right. Without another word, she turned around and walked back out into the hallway. She took one look at Kara, and a breathless smile broke across her face, and Lena quickly walked over to her, wrapping her in a hug and rocking her slightly as they swayed back and forth. In that moment, Lena felt so happy that she didn’t know what else to do; she wanted to go somewhere where she could appreciate it. “Come on, we’re going somewhere.”

 

\---

 

            Kara knew where they were going from the moment they got on the plane, just the two of them and their bodyguards, and she smiled widely at Lena, who was staring intently at her, her feet propped up in Kara’s lap, and a notebook in her hand, which she had been furiously writing in for the past fifteen minutes. Lena had barely said anything since they’d left the hospital, but Kara could see the lightness in her, and the carefree way that she smiled whenever they locked eyes for a moment. She’d given Kara a quick summary of what had happened, and it filled Kara with relief, knowing that the hard part was over, and all that was left was for them to figure out things together. They’d had to endure a lot of turmoil over the past couple of months, and if felt like an eternity together, rather than the short time it had _actually_ been. Kara felt sure that nothing would be harder than that.

 

            It was dark by the time they landed in Ireland, and the biting wind drove them inside as soon as they reached the house. Both of them changing into casual clothes, they sat in the dimly lit kitchen, with Kara steering Lena towards a chair and opening a bottle of wine. Quickly assembling a platter of various snack foods, Kara joined Lena at the table, and they both picked at the food while they talked. Lena ended up giving Kara a more detailed rundown on the conversation with her mother, and in the end, she fished the torn file out of her bag and placed it on the table. “I know I usually wait until my birthday to burn things, but I thought you might like to do this with me right now,” Lena said, giving Kara a small smile as she climbed to her feet and walked over to the fireplace at the opposite end of the kitchen. She quickly got a small flame flickering in the grate, and stood up, dusting off her hands on her pants as she walked over to the table and picked up one ripped half. Walking over to the fire, she opened up the file and slowly threw each piece of paper into the flames, waiting for the paper to curl at the corners and crumble into ashes, before adding the next one. Kara’s approach was more pragmatic, and she threw her half in whole, watching the fire eat away at the file and the paper within it. After a long day, they both decided to turn in early, with Kara slipping Lena some pills before they went to bed, knowing that Lena would stubbornly refuse to admit that her surgical wound was hurting or itching. Climbing into bed, they shifted until they were side by side, with Lena’s arm thrown across Kara’s waist, and her head on her chest, listening to Lena’s steady heartbeat. With no worries on their mind, they both quickly fell asleep, reveling in the feeling of what being happy and carefree felt like. Being in Ireland always seemed to make things easier, but now, they could have this all the time.

  

            They spent the next day pottering around the house, taking a walk through the garden and lazily laying in bed all morning. It was almost lunchtime when Lena said that she was going to go into town and fetch them something to eat, stubbornly refusing Kara’s help when she started towards the cupboard for her coat. Frowning slightly, Kara didn’t object to Lena going on her own, knowing that her stitches wouldn’t hinder her, and that she was just being overprotective. Kissing her goodbye, Kara watched Lena go, climbing into a car with Hector and one of her own bodyguards, and set about tidying up the place. There was something cathartic about cleaning, and she was glad for the normalcy that she hadn’t had since she was at boarding school or doing her basic army training. The magic and glamour of her lifestyle seemed to fade away as she sorted out the laundry, hoping that the colours wouldn’t run, and made the rumpled bed. It was over an hour before Lena returned, and Kara raised her eyebrows as she took in the half a dozen bags that Hector brought in behind Lena.

 

            “We’re going on a picnic,” Lena said by way of explanation, shrugging as she smiled at Kara. Together, the two of them started packing the wheels of cheese, the grapes and cuts of meat, olives and sundried tomatoes into the wicker basket that Lena procured from a cupboard. It was almost overflowing when Lena slipped in a bottle of champagne and two glasses.

 

            “You're awfully spontaneous lately. What’re we celebrating?” Kara asked in surprise, giving Lena a lopsided smile as she pulled a thick blanket out of the cupboard and rolled it up tightly.

 

            Lena took the blanket off her, kissing Kara on the cheek and gently tweaking her chin, “us.”

 

            Kara wrinkled her nose slightly, laughing as she leant down to kiss Lena again. Bundling everything into Lena’s car, they both climbed in, wearing thick jumpers and heavy coats, and they watched as the bodyguards climbed into the black armoured cars and followed them out of the grounds and onto one of the narrow country roads. The staticky radio played gentle music, while the wind blew their hair around their faces as they flew down the roads, Lena confidently steering with one hand, while the other tightly held onto Kara’s, who was singing along, reminding them both of the first time they’d come here. It was almost an hour later when they pulled up near the edge of steep cliffs, overlooking the greyish water as it crashed against the rocks below. The air was heavy with the smell of the sea, the salty smell flooding Kara’s senses as she climbed out of the car and took a deep breath. Walking over to the very edge, she spread her arms out wide, closing her eyes as the weak sunlight shined down on her face and the sound of the waves rolling back and forth mixed with the distant shrieks of seagulls wheeling around far below them.

 

            “I love it here,” Kara said when she felt Lena come up behind her, wrapping her arms around Kara’s waist as she nestled her chin on her shoulder.

 

            “Mm,” Lena murmured, “I’ve always loved it here, but I’ve never loved it as much as I have when I’m here with you.”

 

            Kara laughed quietly, turning around in her arms and kissing her. “Anywhere with you is where I love being,” Kara told her, “but you know what else I love?”

 

            “Food,” Lena guessed, and Kara laughed as she leant in to kiss her, “well, I’d better not keep you waiting. Let’s get everything unpacked first.”

 

            Spreading the thick blanket out on the long grass, they looked out over the bay, picking at the food spread out around them and sipping champagne while they talked. The hours dragged on, and they were content to lay on the blanket, watching as the sun sank lower and lower, and everything seemed to fall into place with it. Kara knew in her heart that this was where she was supposed to be, and a part of her wished that they could move here and live like this all the time, but as long as she had Lena, it didn’t matter where they were. They went for a walk when the horizon started changing colours, following the edge of the cliff in a more easterly path so that they could get a good view, before they returned back to their picnic. Lena climbed in the front seat of the car, turning on the headlights so that the dim lights chased away the beginnings of dusk, and turned the radio on, filling the quiet countryside with the staticky sound of soothing music.

 

            Climbing back out of the car, Lena walked towards Kara and mockingly bowed to her, “may I trouble you for a dance, madam.”

 

            “Since when do you willingly dance?” Kara asked, her eyebrows rising in surprise, even as she placed her hand in Lena’s and assumed the stance of the male. Pressing her hand flat against Lena’s back, she held her hand tightly in her other hand, gently swaying to the sound of the music floating towards them.

 

            “I always dance with you,” Lena quietly replied, “I do a lot of things for you that I wouldn’t do for anyone else.”

 

            “And I love you for it,” Kara softly said, turning to kiss the side of Lena’s head. They were both quiet as they rocked back and forth on the edge of the cliff, the sun setting around them, and the flat countryside stretching on for miles as the two of them danced alone. Even the bodyguards a few dozen metres away weren’t enough to make them feel like they weren’t the only people in the world. It was perfect, and Kara gently cradled Lena in her arms, taking comfort in the warmth of her pressed up against her.

 

            “Do you- do you remember when you asked what would happen if we fell in love someone else?”

 

            “Mhm,” Kara murmured.

 

            Lena hesitated slightly, a perplexed look gracing her delicate features, “Did you know then? What would happen between us, I mean.”

 

            Kara laughed, her eyes crinkling at the corners as they wind tossed her hair around her face. “No, never in a million years, but it’s more perfect than I could have _ever_ imagined.”

 

            “Perfect,” Lena murmured to herself, laughing slightly as she looked out at the sun setting on the horizon. She drew in a shaky breath, turning to face Kara and giving her a wonky smile, before she fumbled with something small in her hand and dropped down to one knee. “I never want to let you go.”

 

            “Wait, what? Are you _proposing?”_ Kara exclaimed, her eyes widening as she looked down at Lena, who was holding up a beautiful diamond ring in her shaking hands, her face white with fear.

 

            She let out a nervous laugh, a hesitant look flashing across her face, “I mean, I think so, I don’t know. I'm _trying_ to. Am I doing it right? I've never proposed before.”

 

            “You’re supposed to say something,” Kara choked out, her eyes already filling with tears.

 

            Laughing again, Lena flashed her dimples as she reached out for Kara’s left hand, pressing a quick kiss to the back of it. “Right, well, yes. I _was_ getting to that part. See, the thing is … I don’t want to get married, not unless you want to, but I’ve been thinking, and I _want_ to marry you. I choose you. I know that I’m … a mess. I can’t help but say stupid things around you, and I know that I drive you mad, and you drive me mad too, but I love it. I love you. I didn’t think I _could_ love someone this much, or this quickly, but I know that I just … I have to have you. You make me feel _warm_ , and you make me laugh, and I know what it’s like to have a full heart, and to be happy. And then, oh god, then there’s _you_. You’re the strongest person I know, and maybe like … the second smartest, after me, and you’re definitely the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen. You’re just- you’re _perfect_ to me, Kara. Everything about you is perfect – even the parts that aren’t – and no one else has _ever_ made me feel like that before. You had my heart a long, _long_ time ago. It’s just you and me. And I know I said that things can never end happily, but you’re the person I want to finish this life with. I don’t want to stay silent, because I know that last time … well, it didn’t really make things easier between us. So I’m asking you … will you marry me?”

 

            She was already crying before Lena started to speak, and so was Lena by the time she got to the end of her speech, and Kara reached down to gently cup her face in her hands, wiping Lena’s tears away while they both laughed. “Yes,” Kara choked out, drawing Lena to her feet, “yes, I’ll marry you.”

 

            “Yes?” Lena echoed in surprise, her face splitting into a wide smile as she looked at Kara with wide eyes.

 

            “Yes!” Kara exclaimed, throwing herself at Lena, who stumbled back slightly as she caught her, hugging her tightly as she buried her face into Kara’s shoulder.

 

            They both stayed like that, clutching each other desperately as they laughed and cried, and then Lena pulled back with a small cry. “The ring! I have to put the ring on your finger!” she said in a panic, taking Kara’s left hand in her own and sliding the ring on until it settled near her knuckle, before she lifted the hand and kissed Kara’s knuckles.

 

            Laughing, Kara cupped Lena’s face and roughly kissed her, brushing her hair out of her face as the wind tossed it around. With the sound of the sea in her ears, and the setting sun painting the sky a thousand shades of pink and orange as night descended, bringing the darkness with it, they laughed as they kissed and held each other tightly, and their laughter was brighter than all of the stars above them.


	38. Chapter 38

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we cool now?

            They stayed in Ireland for a couple of days afterwards, basking in the happiness that came from Lena’s proposal, and the knowledge that everything had finally fallen into place. It was pure bliss, and they both could’ve stayed there forever, but they eventually left, ready to go home and break the news to their family and friends. Kara had decided not to let anyone know until they got back, just so the two of them could enjoy the moment for themselves for a little while. They wouldn’t make their engagement public for a while yet though, because they didn’t want the added attention of more reporters swarming around them, so as they landed in Argo City, Kara slipped the ring off and carefully tucked it into the pocket of her coat. Lena gave her a secret smile, picking up her hand and kissing the spot where ring had been, before linking their hands together and walking over to the door as it opened to the sunny sky outside. Feeling nervous, as if the whole world would be able to see what had happened written on her face, Kara smiled back at her, giving her hand a quick squeeze, before she stepped out of the plane and descended the steps, going straight into the parked car while her bodyguards filed out of the plane behind them.

 

            The drive to the palace wasn’t too long, and both of them couldn’t help but look at one another every so often, smiling sheepishly when they caught each other staring. Much to Kara’s surprise, as soon as she stepped foot into the west wing of the palace, Eliza burst out of one of the smaller sitting rooms right near the door, going straight for Kara’s left hand as she smiled brightly. Her smile dropped when she didn’t find a ring there, and she jerked her head up to meet Kara’s raised eyebrows. _“No!”_

            Laughing, Kara fished the ring out of her pocket and slipped it back onto her ring finger, and Eliza let out an exclamation of surprise, enveloping her adoptive daughter in a hug. Lena watched with an amused look on her face, which turned to surprise as Eliza wrapped her in a hug too, while she congratulated them both. “Thank you,” Kara said, twining her fingers with Lena’s and following Eliza into the sitting room.

 

            “Oh, Alex, Maggie!” Kara said in surprise, “I didn’t expect you to be here as well.”

 

            “Mom said we were having dinner tonight,” Alex shrugged indifferently.

 

            Kara turned to give Eliza a smile, before she looked back at Alex, and took a shuddering breath. Her left hand was in her pocket, and she could feel the weight of the ring, which was starting to grow familiar, and knew that she had to tell her sister, because it looked like Eliza hadn’t. “So, um, funny story about while we were gone,” Kara started, nervously fixing her glasses.

 

            “Did Her Highness drag you off to some wild party in the middle of god knows where in Ireland,” Alex laughed.

 

            Looking down at Lena, Kara raised an eyebrow, and Lena bit back a smile. “No,” Lena coolly replied, “I proposed.”

 

            Alex blanched, and her and Maggie’s mouths fell open in shock. Kara smiled brightly as she pulled her hand out of her pocket, showing off the diamond ring as Alex jumped to her feet, rushing over to take Kara’s hand in her own and inspect it for herself. “I don’t fucking believe it. You got _engaged?!”_

 

            “Alex,” Eliza sighed, shaking her head in exasperation as she took a seat on the sofa and shared a look with Maggie, who smiled slightly.

 

            “Wait, did you know about this, mom?” Alex asked, turning around to look at her mom with a stunned look on her face.

 

            “Of course I did,” Eliza smiled slightly, “Lena called to ask me permission the other day.”

 

            Kara turned to look at Lena, “you did?”

 

            Walking over to one of the sofas, dragging Kara along with her, Lena smiled up at her as she leant back against the pillows. “Of _course_ I did. I mean, it was about two hours before I did it, but that’s because it was a little … unplanned.”

 

            “How unplanned?” Alex asked, arching an eyebrow.

 

            “I mean, it was kind of my mom’s fault,” Lena shrugged, blushing slightly at the intensity of everyone’s stares, “I was at the hospital, and she gave me a box. I didn’t open it until we got to Ireland, but inside there was my grandmother’s ring – my father’s mother’s – and I realized that she gave it to me to propose one day. I mean, I’m sure she didn’t plan on me popping the question so soon, but I was looking at it … and I just- I decided that I didn’t want to wait. So I called Eliza straight away and went from there. It was all very … spur of the moment.”

 

            “It was perfect,” Kara assured her, leaning into her slightly as she smiled brightly. Lena hadn’t told her that part, and she was surprised to hear that she’d gotten the ring off Lillian, but was grateful nonetheless. She wouldn’t have changed a thing about it, and the fact that Lena had felt so strongly about her that she hadn’t even bothered to wait, made it feel all the more special. They’d spent too long waiting for things – for each other – and now they might’ve been diving in, but it didn’t mean that they were wrong to rush. Especially when the whole world thought that they’d been together for almost eighteen months, and would be expecting an engagement in the near future – not that they were doing this for the public though. Kara didn’t know how much she’d needed the reassurance that Lena would choose her over anything, even over her hatred of monarchies. They would both choose each other over everything, and they’d fight for it too, no matter what anyone else said. Which reminded Kara, who paled slightly, “I need to tell Astra.”

 

            Lena looked up at Kara in amusement, giving her a soft smile while she reassuringly patted her knee. Nodding to her, Kara gave her a bright smile, knowing that her aunt probably wouldn’t like being so caught off guard, but not caring anyway; nothing and no one could dampen her happiness now. It was almost alarming at how quickly things had seemed to turn – one night they’d been arguing about Lena getting them into further trouble, and then a week later, they were engaged, and everything had fallen into place perfectly. Tea was brought to the sitting room, and the five of them spoke for ages, with the two of them being pressed for answers about everything, and Kara was all too willing to supply them, while Lena leant back, drinking her tea and lovingly gazing up at Kara while she listened to her talk. Kara had asked for Lyra to call Astra to town, and it wasn’t until a few hours later that she arrived back from America, curtsying to her niece and Lena as she arrived at the palace. Excusing them both, Kara climbed to her feet, waving everyone back into their seats as they rose with her, and quickly walked out of the room with Astra falling into step just behind her. A bodyguard shadowed them to one of the studies on the ground floor, and Kara sat down behind the desk, leaning forward and nervously clearing her throat as Astra shut the door and stood patiently in the middle of the room.

 

            “I, um, I have something to tell you,” Kara stammered, drumming her fingers on the desk, before opening and closing her mouth as she struggled to find the words to properly tell her.

 

            “That you’re engaged?” Astra said, smirking slightly as she watched Kara struggle, “yes, I know.”

 

            “You _know?”_ Kara exclaimed, her eyes widening as she looked at Astra.

 

            Astra sighed, shaking her head as she looked at her niece, before she walked over to the desk, unfolding her arms as she reached out and tapped the ring on Kara’s left hand. “You’re wearing a ring.”

 

            Blushing, Kara gave her a sheepish look, covering the ring with her right hand as she shrugged apologetically, “oh … right, yes. Well, um, you see, Lena proposed.”

 

            “So I gathered.”

 

            “And I said yes.”

 

            “Kara, you don’t need to keep going. I can see that Lena proposed to you, _and_ you said yes. I would like to think you would’ve given me _some_ forewarning if you were going to get down on one knee so that I could’ve smoothed things over first,” Astra briskly said.

 

            Nodding, Kara ducked her head slightly, “sorry, it was … kind of all a bit spontaneous, and surprising for me too.”

 

            “Would you mind if I sit down?” Astra asked, and Kara quickly gestured to the chair sat across the other side of the desk, watching as her aunt lowered herself down into it, leaning back as she crossed her legs and gripped the arms of the chair. Neither of them said anything for a moment, with Kara waiting for Astra to give her opinion, which was obviously coming, and Astra staring past Kara, taking in the green gardens through the windows, while she frowned slightly, deep in thought. Eventually she sighed, bringing her attention back to the young queen, who looked frightened and tense as she rigidly sat in her seat. “You’ve been together … what, three months? Four? Is that long enough, Kara?”

 

            “I love her,” Kara blurted out.

 

            Giving her a soft smile, Astra nodded, “I’m not saying that you _don’t_ , but don’t you think it’s all moving a little too fast? You could wait a year, preferably two, before-“

 

            “We’ve technically been doing this for almost a year and a half,” Kara interrupted her, “and we were expected to marry each other _without_ being in love. In fact, the planned proposal would be coming up soon anyway, so isn’t this better? I _know_ her, Aunt Astra. I know her, and I love her. This is everything my parents, and hers, wanted.”

 

            “They wanted this _within_ the terms on the contract,” Astra pointed out, “what happens if this falls apart? Divorce wasn’t part of the contract – you weren’t allowed one – and if you _do_ end up getting one, it’s going to be a lot of bad press. Even if you don’t get a divorce, it’s going to be a lot of pressure to be perfect for the cameras. They’ll spread lies about you; they’ll say one of you is cheating, they’ll pick apart your marriage based on looks and where your hands are. It doesn’t all suddenly get easy because your _love_ her, Kara. You’re the Queen of an entire country, and yes, that doesn’t hold much power anymore, but you’re still a symbol. You unite the church and state, and there’s so much riding on your image.”

 

            Bristling slightly in her seat, Kara scowled and crossed her arms over her chest. “I should think that if we got a divorce, it would be best for everyone, rather than putting up with a sham of a marriage and making each other miserable - not that I think we'll get to that point. We’ve already been through how difficult that is – pretending to love each other and play for the cameras – and I won’t do it again. I don’t think it’s fair for you to say that it’ll fall apart before it’s even begun though. Nothing will be harder than what we’ve already been through to _get_ here; not the press and the media, not being Queen. Nothing. And quite frankly, I’ve been careful all my life, trying to be perfect and please everyone, and if there’s one thing I’ve learnt since becoming Queen, it’s that people will talk no matter what. Let them spread their lies and try and tarnish my image; Lena and I know the truth, and I don’t give a damn what they write about us.”

 

            Sighing, Astra grimaced slightly, “so you’re sure then.”

 

            “Come on, Aunt Astra; you _know_ I wouldn’t have said yes unless I was sure,” Kara told her, giving her a small smile as she gave her a pleading look. Perhaps it was because she looked exactly like her mom, but Kara really needed her approval for some reason, and she wanted Astra to give it more than anything else. It would be a consolation prize for her mom never being her to approve – although apparently she had approved enough for an arranged marriage, so Kara hardly thought she could oppose a real one to the same person.

 

            Climbing to her feet, Astra dipped her head in deference, “well, I hope you’ll make each other happy, Your Majesty.” She met Kara’s surprised eyes, and gave her a warm smile, and Kara pushed her chair back and leapt to her feet.

 

            Rounding the desk, she threw her arms around Astra’s neck and hugged her tightly while her aunt laughed, patting her back gently while Kara gave her a quick squeeze. “Thank you, Aunt Astra. That means more to me than you know.”

 

            “She would want you to be happy, little one,” Astra said, pulling back and tucking a lock of hair behind Kara’s ear, she gave her a loving smile and nudged her chin up slightly, “and so do I.”

 

            Nodding, Kara gave her a wide smile, before smoothing out the creases on her shirt and starting towards the door. She wished that her parents were alive so that they would be able to celebrate the moment with her, and the rest of her family, but she was so grateful to all the family she did have, and Alex, Eliza and Astra were more than enough. Most of all, she was grateful that she had Lena though, but there was one thing she needed to talk to her about, which she’d completely forgotten about up until now.

 

\---

 

            She waited until it was dark, before she told Lena that she was going to be in her private study next to the bedroom. Lena was wrapped up and reading by the fire, a glass of wine in hand while the soft sounds of some classical music drifted from the record played in the corner, and she’d mumbled in agreement as she turned the page, and Kara smiled. She didn’t even look at the bag slung over Kara’s shoulder, or the coat she was wearing, too deeply invested in the crime novel – she had assured Kara that they were growing on her, and she didn’t even cheat and read the endings – and Kara was able to quietly slip into the study and shut the door behind her without rousing any suspicion. Her study faced the gardens, so no one would be able to see her as she threw the windows open and peered down at the ivy covered trellis growing up the walls of the palace. Slipping the backpack onto her back, she ducked out through the open window, keeping a tight grip on the window frame, before slowly lowering herself onto the flimsy trellis. Careful not to lose her grip, she descended to the ground below, making sure no to look at the drop until her feet were safely planted on the bricks of the patio. Smiling triumphantly, Kara walked until she was stood in front of her bedroom windows and scrounged up a few pebbles from a nearby flowerbed. Aiming for the left arched window, she let it loose, listening as it clattered against the windowpane, before doing it again. Waiting patiently, she stared at the window, waiting for the shadow of movement, which didn’t come, so she went after more pebbles, repeating the process again and again. Realising that the pebbles were too small, she found a bigger one, and let it loose, a look of horror passing her face as she watched it shatter the window pane and disappear inside her bedroom. If that didn’t get Lena’s attention, nothing would. Still, Kara frantically looked around, hoping that security hadn’t seen it happen, because they’d be on their way immediately.

 

            “Oi, what the fuck are you playing at?” Lena shouted, and Kara jumped slightly, looking back up at the sight of the dark haired girl leaning out of the open window, her face ghostly pale in the moonlight.

 

            “Lena! It’s me,” Kara hissed back.

 

            “ _Kara?!”_ Lena exclaimed, “well what that bloody hell are you doing, you bellend? You’ve smashed the pissing window!”

 

            Panicking that security was already on its way, Kara glanced around, before looking back up, “I know! Just … climb down. Quick! We don’t have much time.”

 

            Without another word, Lena was climbing out of the window, moving quickly with practiced ease from all the times she’d broken out of her own room at the palace in Thorul. She landed on the bricks barefoot and wide eyed, looking at Kara with shock and a little bit of pride, and as flashlights cut the dark, and footsteps pounded on the bricks, Kara grabbed her hand and pulled her. They were almost bent in half as they ran through the gardens, making their way to the far side of the grounds, and they couldn’t help but laugh as they struggled to breathe, ducking behind statues and trees as they went. One glance back over her shoulder let Kara know that there were half a dozen security guards clustered around the base of the palace, right below her bedroom window, lit up by their flashlights, and no one was in pursuit of them. The tricky part would be getting through the fence, because security was a little lax within the grounds, but entering and leaving were another issue. Skirting the guardhouse, Kara led them back around in a loop, heading towards the garage, where she fished a pair of keys out of her pocket and unlocked the door, waving Lena inside first, before quickly closing it and turning off the alarm before it could go off. Using the torch from her phone, Kara led them to her personal car, which she rarely had the chance to drive, and slipped into the car, fishing another key out of her pocket and putting it in the ignition. The car quietly purred to life, and she rummaged around in her backpack for one of the guard radios that she’d stolen, turning it on and listening to the static that came out of it.

 

            “Verified guests are leaving through the west gate,” Kara said, making her voice as low as possible, “stand by for approaching vehicles.”

 

            They anxiously waited a moment, before getting a reply, _“copy that.”_

            Turning off the radio, Kara turned and gave Lena a slightly crazed smile, before opening the garage door and reversing out. She took off her glasses, much to Lena’s horror, and fished out a fake security card that would clear the guard’s inspection as she slowly approached the gates. Flashing the badge quickly, the gates were opened, and she was let through, before it quickly closed behind her. Shoving her glasses back on, Kara laughed triumphantly, and Lena burst into laughter as well, both of them feeling their hearts loudly beating in their chests. With the windows down, the cool spring air rushed inside, and Kara turned off the straight road between the palace and cathedral, heading for the motorway which would lead them away from the city.

 

            “What’s all this about?” Lena asked, and Kara turned to give her a sly smile.

 

            “You’ll soon find out.”

 

            They drove far out into the countryside, and when Kara deemed it acceptable, she pulled over on some narrow country lane. Reaching in the back for the bag she’d shoved behind her seat, she pulled out a pair of hiking boots for Lena, as well as her own coat, before climbing out of the car and slinging it over her shoulder. Reaching out for Lena, who laced their fingers together, she set off towards the base of an incline, leading up to a small mountain. It was only a few hundred metres high, and not too steep to climb, and Lena could see that they _were_ going to climb it by the determined look on Kara’s face. They were mostly silent for the entire walk, occasionally talking and helping each other over fallen logs and a thin stream trickling down from the top as some forgotten snow at the top melted. By the time they reached the top, they were both breathing heavily and footsore, and Kara quickly spread a blanket out on the flat stretch near the sheer cliffside on the opposite side of the mountain. It fell away into darkness, and neither of them could see the ground below, but spread out before them was an endless stretch of countryside, dimly illuminated by the thin sliver of the moon overhead, and a few lights from farmhouses and cottages dotted around the place. Above them, the stars were out in full, and it was a breathtaking sight with very little light to inhibit the full view of the sky.

 

            Sitting down, Kara pulled out a bottle of water, handing it to Lena, who drank gratefully, before pulling out a thermos full of tea, some fresh scones, and a blanket for them to huddle under. “So, what’s with the surprise jailbreak?” Lena finally asked, raising her eyebrows as she looked at Kara in amusement, taking a bite out of the scone while Kara poured her some tea.

 

            “I wanted to be alone with you for a few minutes,” Kara told her, reaching out to caress her cheek, “I figured that if we came here, it would take them a little while to at least climb the mountain, so with our head start, we should be able to have a few minutes alone. The window smashing was a bit of a, ah, surprise. How much trouble do you think I'll be in?”

 

            Lena burst into laughter, “you _own_ the palace, Kara; probably not a lot. What were you even  _doing?”_

 

            “I was being romantic!” Kara exclaimed, laughing as she buried her face in her hands, “I was trying Romeo you, but the little ones weren’t making enough noise.”

 

            “So you just threw a bloody rock through your window? I think I might be rubbing off on you, darling,” Lena said, leaning over to kiss Kara on the tip of her nose.

 

            “That’s why I’m here!” Kara triumphantly said, glad that they were getting towards the point, “see, you got to say a lot the other day, and I realized earlier that I didn’t get to say much. I mean, _I_ wasn’t the one doing the proposing, but I feel like there’s so much I have to say to you as well, so I thought why not try and do something ridiculously stupid like break us out of the palace and climb a mountain, right?”

 

            Shaking her head, Lena bit back a smile, her eyes sparkling with amusement, “because nothing screams a declaration of love like escaping and climbing a mountain.”

 

            Giving her an exasperated look, Kara continued, “but see, the thing is, I would _never_ have done that before, but when I’m around you … god, I do the most ridiculous things! You could charm me into doing anything for you, and I would gladly do it, because I love you. And I know how much you love being rebellious so, of course, my first thought was springing you from the palace, because surely that would be a grand romantic gesture for you, right? I wouldn’t have thought of doing anything like that _before_ I met you - I wouldn't have even dreamt of it - and you were right when you said you say stupid things around me, because I do it around you too, and I _love_ it when we argue, because who else am I going to have a heated conversation with about the proper way to pronounce scone?”

 

            “It’s _scone_ ,” Lena said, smiling slightly as she lovingly gazed at Kara.

 

            Sighing, Kara shook her head, biting her lip as she looked up at the stars for a moment. Bringing her gaze back down to Lena, she took in the intensity of her stare, knowing that they would be a piercing green if there was any light to see them by, but loving them all the same. “I don’t care what it’s called, as long as we get to argue about it, and a thousand other stupid things that make me laugh. I never would’ve picked it – us – not from being your roommate at boarding school, or when we were alone in that room with the contract in front of us. I could never have guessed that you would be the reason that I would lay awake at night, thinking about what I could do to make you smile next time I saw you, or filling sketchbook after sketchbook with drawings of you. I didn’t think that you would be the reason why I realized that maybe there’s other ways to love someone, and I didn’t realize that I loved you in all of those ways before I realized that I loved you in the most _obvious_ way too. All those times you stayed, and I would get that tightness in my chest because I fell in love with you before I even knew what it meant, and I couldn’t give you up, no matter how snarky and sarcastic you were to me, because I love it about you and it makes me laugh. And all those times we kissed, and a part of me wished that it was real, because I would’ve _loved_ to have been kissed like that forever – I didn’t tell you, of course, because you already used to make fun of me for it. And now I’m running out of things to say, because I don’t think I _can_ say just how much you mean to me; just how much I love you. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I’ll follow your lead, because you were right; it’s just you and me. I know we’ll be alright, because we have each other. I just- I wanted to tell you, and to give you this too.”

 

            She pulled out a ring from her pocket, and smiled, meeting Lena’s tearful eyes, reaching out to pick up her left hand. Kara quietly laughed as she pressed a kiss to the palm of it, before flipping the hand over and sliding the ring onto Lena’s wedding finger. “Kara-“ Lena said, giving her a sweet smile as tears ran down her cheeks.

 

            Quietly laughing, Kara reached out and wiped them away, before she cupped Lena’s face and leant in, gently brushing her lips against Lena’s, and then coming down harder. They kissed and laughed, wiping each others tears and staring down at their hands and the rings, and neither of them could stop smiling. The ring had been in storage for a long time – since her mom had died – and Kara couldn’t help but think about how glad she was that it wouldn’t be shut away forever. It was beautiful, and she wouldn’t see it on anyone else’s finger. Kissing her once more, she drew back and smiled at Lena, before turning at the flicker of movement at the corner of her eye.

 

            “And it looks like that’s our fun over,” Kara said, looking at the three cars pulling up, their headlights splitting the darkness of the still countryside. “Should we go down, or let them come to us?”

 

            Lena smiled, giving her a quick kiss before she laid down at looked up at the stars, “let them come to us. I just want to watch the stars with you for a little while longer.”


	39. Chapter 39

            They hid it for a few weeks while they planned an engagement party for themselves, only inviting friends, family, and a few officials that it would’ve been rude not to invite. They both knew the wedding would end up being a large, public affair, but this party was just for themselves, to revel in the excitement of their new engagement, with those that they were closest to. It was harder than they thought to keep it a secret, having to trust the palace staff wouldn’t let it leak, as well as all of the party planners and various people they hired to help make it perfect. They couldn’t say that they were planning for an engagement party, but they also knew that ordering ten thousand blush pink roses wasn’t exactly inconspicuous, nor were the beautiful invitations announcing their engagement, which were printed and sent out to the few dozen people on the guest list. They were both too happy to care about people’s speculations though, knowing that unless they confirmed it, no one would believe they _weren’t_ engaged if the rumour started circling, becaue the media always ran with the version they preferred, which was rarely the whole truth. They would deal with that when they got to it, which hopefully wouldn’t be for a few more weeks, because they were enjoying the peacefulness and seclusion offered to them by everyone else’s ignorance. Kara and Lena had been keeping a low profile for the past few weeks, and besides a few required official visits for them both, neither of them had left the palace walls since returning after their jailbreak. It would’ve been suffocating if it wasn’t for the relief of the vast gardens, offering them some sense of freedom as they took strolls through the winding paths, enjoying the weather as it grew warmer.

 

            The day of the party was pleasantly warm, and perfect for a garden party, with the lush green lawn properly trimmed, the blue sky hindered by only a few puffy clouds, which looked far from raining on them, and bees and butterflies lazily trailing from flower to flower in the gardens as the palace staff set up marquees and tables outdoors. Garden parties weren’t uncommon for palace events, which would make the whole thing less suspicious to the crowd of reporters lurking around near the gates and fences as they snapped photos of what they could see of the setup. Inside the palace, Kara and Lena were both being pampered and prepared for the party, wearing complementary dresses – an ivory lace dress for Kara, and a pale champagne coloured one for Lena, both of them adhering to the traditional creamy shades that were typical of garden parties. Decked out in diamonds, including their engagement rings, they made a very expensive and striking couple, and before they went downstairs to join their awaiting guests, the photographer snapped some photos of them in the empty ballroom, where the sunlight streamed in through the tall windows. Satisfied, Kara turned to Lena and smiled, offering her arm to her.

 

            “Shall we present ourselves?”

 

            Letting out an exaggerated sigh, Lena bit back a smile, “I suppose.”

 

            Kara laughed as Lena took the offered arm and glided towards the open doors, running her other hand over her dress as she made sure she looked perfect for the people waiting for them outside. Catching her fiddling with the engagement ring, before her hand fluttered up to reassure herself that the jeweled comb in her hair was keeping the perfectly arranged curls in its lose bun. “Stop fussing,” Kara quietly chided her, “you like absolutely beautiful. Give me a twirl.” Taking her hand, Kara span her out, and Lena laughed, her green eyes sparkling with amusement as she span back in, Kara’s hands steadying her, before she reached up to brush back a stray curl.

 

            “You look … to die for,” Lena murmured, smiling as Kara wrinkled her nose, ducking her head and raising her hand to adjust non-existent glasses.

 

            “We should go, before we’re late to our own party,” Kara said, gently booping Lena on the tip of her nose.

 

            Lena laughed, taking Kara’s arm again and walking out of the ballroom, “it’s called fashionably late, darling.”

 

            “And you’ll make us _late_ late, _sweetie_ ,” Kara teased her, laughing as Lena’s mouth turned down at the corners slightly. “You know I love the way you talk. It’s very … posh.”

 

            “Oh piss off,” Lena scoffed, giving Kara an exasperated look, even though her lips twitched slightly as she tried not to smile. “You should try going to an English boarding school in Ireland for most of your childhood, then you can make fun of me, _darling_.”

 

            “You love it,” Kara said, leading her down one of the hallways leading towards the back of the palace. Lena pouted slightly, her eyebrows knitting together as she looked straight ahead, while Kara bit her lip as she tried not to smile. “You look like a petulant child when you pout like that.”

 

            “I _am_ a petulant child, and far too young to be getting married, or so my mother told me,” Lena sighed, “I hope you’re not going to try and tame me, because I like misbehaving.”

 

            Laughing, Kara pulled her close and kissed the side of her head, “well I think when she gave you the ring, she was just trying to be nice, not telling you to propose. And I wouldn’t dream of it, even if it drives me mad sometimes. For the record, I hope you never grow up; you make everything interesting.”

 

            “You didn’t think it was interesting that time in senior year when I bought ten thousand butterflies off amazon and released them inside the school.”

 

            “That’s because I was picking them out of my porridge, _and_ I swallowed one during equestrian lessons, because there were so many outside when they managed to clear the school, and we had to cancel practice for the rest of the week,” Kara told her, narrowing her eyes slightly while Lena gave her a sheepish smile.

 

            “Well I only did it because you told the headmistress that I had vodka under my bed,” Lena said, raising her eyebrows slightly, “I feel like it was a fair revenge, even if the rest of the school had to suffer too.”

 

            Kara covered her mouth with her hand as she let out a loud laugh, looking at Lena with wide eyes, “you thought that _I_ told her about the vodka?”

 

            Lena gave her a wary look, “you mean you didn’t?”

 

 _“No!”_ Kara exclaimed as she laughed, “that was Veronica. It was payback for you getting her busted with the cigarettes you smoked in _her_ room. I thought that was why you got into the fist fight that gave you this.” She reached out to gently brush the small scar under Lena’s eyebrow as she smiled slightly.

 

            “Well shit, now I bloody feel bad,” Lena laughed, “I thought it was _you!”_

            “Well now that we’re getting everything out in the open, when your Montegrappa pen went missing, it … didn’t go missing. I accidentally broke it and was too scared to tell you,” Kara sheepishly told her, wincing slightly as she admitted the truth.

 

            Lena tilted her head to the side, smiling up at Kara, “I know. I found the broken nib in your drawer when I went looking for it. It was a seventy-thousand-dollar pen that I got for my sweet sixteen.”

 

            “Well now I feel even worse!” Kara exclaimed, putting her head in her hand, “why didn’t you get pissed at me?”

 

            “It was just a pen, Kara,” Lena said, laughing as she gave her an amused smile, “besides, there was a different Montegrappa pen, which I happen to know a certain princess also owned and suspiciously lost, amongst my Christmas gifts that year. I still have it, I think – it’s a good pen. Although I do like the Caran d’Ache one you bought me.”

 

            “I still felt guilty,” Kara said, giving her an apologetic smile, “we weren’t friends so I couldn’t even _tell_ you. I thought you would rip my head off if you ever found out.”

 

            Shaking her head slightly, Lena smiled, “no, I just ignored you for the rest of the year. Well, not that I wanted to be your friend anyway, so it just gave me a reason to be bitter and annoyed; it felt more justified that way. Now, it’s time for our grand entrance.”

 

            Their crawling pace through the castle had led them towards the French doors at the back, which were standing open, letting in a nice breeze and the smell of the thousands of flowers that were arranged outside, and they both stayed in the shadows of the hallway. A doorman stepped forward, clearing his throat before he loudly announced them both to the party guests strewn around the garden. With a bright smile to Lena, Kara led them out into the sun, walking down the few steps and onto the lawn, watching as everyone rose from their slight curtsies and bows. A nearby server offered them both champagne flutes from the tray he held, and Kara scanned the faces around them, looking for who she should greet first. Lex was standing nearby, alongside Lillian, and Kara knew that it would be an insult to the King of Thorul, and future brother-in-law, if she didn’t greet him first. Turning to lean in close to Lena, she quietly murmured, “we need to greet your family first.”

 

            Lena’s smile was slightly forced, but she followed Kara’s lead, treading carefully over the grass, nodding and smiling to her friends as she passed them by. They all fell back into their conversations, waiting for the Queen and Princess to greet them, and the soft sound of the the string musicians blended into the background, adding to the relaxed atmosphere of the party. Relaxing for everyone except Lena, whose shoulders had grown tenser with every step towards her mom and brother. Kara let go of her arm as they approached, her hand gently resting on Lena’s lower back as she nodded and smiled at Lillian and Lex, while Lena dipped into a shallow curtsy. “Mother, Your Majesty,” Lena stiffly greeted them.

 

            “Your Majesties,” Kara politely said, giving them warm smiles, “we’re glad you could make it.”

 

            “I’m surprised,” Lillian said, giving Kara a sharp smile, “I believe I was only promised an invitation to the wedding.”

 

            Blushing slightly, Kara cleared her throat, while Lena bristled beside her, “if you’re not going to behave yourself, then perhaps you should go home. Are you sure your liver is fine? Perhaps you should still be on bed rest.”

 

            Giving her daughter a disapproving look, Lillian drew herself up to her full height and gave her a haughty look, “you know very well that my liver is fine, Lena, and whatever you might think, I _do_ approve of your engagement.”

 

            “Well you have a funny way of showing it,” Lena snarkily replied, ignoring the exasperated look Kara gave her.

 

            “Why would I disapprove of something I helped put into motion?” Lillian asked, arching one eyebrow, “I only wish you’d taken things slower. What has it been – four months?”

 

            “Eighteen,” Lena stiffly told her, “surely you remember how it all started, mother?”

 

            Lex sighed, before he gave Kara a polite smile, stepping forward and kissing them both on the cheek. “We’re very happy for you both. Truly, Lena. I wish you both a long and happy marriage.”

 

            Some of the tension seemed to fade from Lena’s shoulders, and she gave her brother a slight smile, if a little wary. “Thank you.”

 

            “We should greet our other guests,” Kara said, excusing them both as she steered Lena away from her family, smiling through her clenched teeth as she made a beeline towards her own family next. “Well, that went well.”

 

            Things went a lot smoother from then on, with them making the rounds to all of their guests - saving their closest friends til last – and making sure that they were both enjoying themselves. Careful not to drink too much, just in case something embarrassing happened that she’d never be able to live down, Kara nursed her flute of champagne, thanking everyone as they offered her their congratulations and admired the ring, and eating from the vast array of food spread out on the tables, or being carried around on platters by ivory uniformed servers. The photographers snapped photos of everything, and Kara never strayed far from Lena’s side, who looked happier than usual, even though she was a little more reserved with expressing it, in contrast to Kara, who gushed to all of her friends about the proposal, and planning the engagement party. They hadn’t really talked about the actual wedding yet, just wanting to enjoy being engaged before they were stuck with endless questions from half a dozen wedding planners, so there wasn’t much to talk about on that front, but they answered everyone’s questions as best as they could, looking to each other for help when they didn’t know what to say.

 

\---

 

            Lena was stood around one of the high tables inside a marquee with liquor, watching as Sam poured a drink into a glass, having waved away the help of one of the servers, who had insisted that he could do it for her. She snuck the drink to Lena, who gave her a warm smile, taking a sip of the cocktail and coughing slightly as it burnt on its way down. “Thanks, I think I need this,” she gasped slightly while Sam laughed.

 

            “No problem. It’s a lot to process, huh?” Sam asked, tilting her head to the side as she looked at Lena with a small smile on her lips, raising her own drink and taking a sip, wincing like Lena had.

 

            “Mm, I don’t mind it though,” Lena murmured, her gaze softening as she watched Kara burst into laughter at something Winn had said. She had been so happy that Lena couldn’t help but feel a flutter in her chest whenever she looked at Kara, enjoying the look of joy on her face and the almost tangible excitement as she bounced slightly, almost like she was going to explode. It was one of the things she loved about Kara.

 

            Sam quietly laughed, and Lena looked up at her, arching an eyebrow expectantly as she took a sip. When Sam didn’t say anything, she gave her a pointed look. “Come on, spit it out Miss Arias. Don’t be polite on my account.”

 

            “I wouldn’t dream of it, Your Highness,” Sam said, raising her glass in a small toast to Lena, before cracking a smile, “you’ve just changed is all.”

 

            Letting out a snort of laughter, Lena shook her head slightly, giving her friend a thin smile, “oh?”

 

            “You’re not wearing black, Lena,” Sam said, gesturing to the dress, and Lena threw her head back as she laughed. “And that! See. You would _never_ have been so quick to laugh like that, or even laugh that loud. I’m really happy for you.”

 

            “Thank you,” Lena said, giving her friend a warm smile, “and for what it’s worth, I asked Kara if I could wear black and she said no. Apparently it’s not suitable for a garden party, or any kind of party that isn’t a wake.”

 

            Sam choked on her sip of her drink, “only you would call a wake a _party_.”

 

            “Well either way, it was a no,” Lena grimaced, “and of _course_ I let her pick. I would let her dress me in hot _pink_ if it made her happy.” She hesitated slightly, quickly turning to look at Sam. “Don’t tell her I said that.”

 

            “Wouldn’t dream of it, Your Highness,” Alex said from behind Lena, who jumped slightly and turned around to give her a warm smile, “I don’t think it’s your colour – no offence intended.”

 

            Sam coughed to hide her laugh, but Lena didn’t hide her own laughter, shrugged helplessly, “I agree. Come to join the fun?”

 

            “I brought the fun with me,” Alex said, opening her purse to half pull out the little silver flask inside, giving Lena a smile, before hesitating slightly. “Actually, I came to ask if I could talk to you in private. Just for a moment; I don’t want to keep you from the fun.”

 

            “Of course,” Lena quickly assured her, draining her drink, and briefly touching Sam on her arm, “I’ll be back shortly. Don’t get into too much trouble while I’m gone, and keep an eye on my fiancé, please.”

 

            “I’ll keep her away from Ronnie – she’s the only trouble here, besides you,” Sam laughed, shooing Lena, who smoothed her dress and threw her shoulders back as she stepped out of the marquee, motioning for Alex to fall into step beside her.

 

            Kara’s eyes drifted over to them both, and Lena gave her a tiny wave, smiling lovingly at her as she led Alex away from the main party area. Feeling Kara’s questioning gaze on their retreating figures, Lena set off down the cobblestoned path winding through the rose bushes and lavender. They were silent as they walked, the slight breeze ruffling their hair and floating a butterfly past them, making Lena smile as she recalled her conversation earlier with Kara, and she led them further in, making for the maze to ensure that they were alone, except for Hector, who followed silently behind. She wasn’t sure what Alex wanted to talk about, but she’d asked for a private word, and Lena knew all too well that there was no privacy here. Once they reached the middle of the maze, Lena sat down on the low brick wall encircling the fountain, gesturing for an uncertain Alex to join her, and remembering when her and Kara had first had their proper conversation here.

 

            Alex opened her purse and pulled out the flask, taking a small sip, before offering it to Lena. “Drink?”

 

            Hesitating slightly, Lena took it with a wary look on her face, “okay, but don’t let me get too drunk. My mom would bloody _love_ that.”

 

            After taking a small sip, she handed it back to Alex, who was looking a bit rosy cheeked and nervous as she put the flask back in her purse, and Lena attributed it to the amount that she’d already drunk over the past few hours. They sat there in silence, and Lena absentmindedly trailed her fingers through the fountain water, watching the ripples spread out from where her hand broke the surface as she waited for Alex to speak. She didn’t rush her, and didn’t stare at Alex either, not wanting the make her uncomfortable, and eventually, Alex sighed. “When did you know?”

 

            “Know what?”

 

            “That you wanted to marry her,” Alex said, looking at Lena, who looked up to meet the curious brown eyes staring at her.

 

            She laughed slightly, shrugging as she looked back at the fading ripples, “I don’t know. I mean, I knew I wanted to propose as soon as I saw the ring, and I knew that I didn’t want to waste any time. We were both cowards before, so I just- I asked. I didn’t know I wanted to marry her until I opened the box to see what my mom had given me, and I saw the little envelope inside the box, and when I opened it, out came the ring. It was like something clicked. I guess I would’ve done it on my own eventually, but it kicked my bloody ass into gear.”

 

            “You _do_ want to marry her though, right?” Alex asked, “like you’re not going to decide that you rushed it? I don’t mean to offend you; I’m just looking out for my sister. You too, I guess; I actually _do_ like you Lena, and I would love it if she married someone like you. No, not someone _like_ you – _you_.”

 

            “Thank you, Alexandra,” Lena said, giving her a warm smile.

 

            “You know you can just call me Alex, right?” she laughed, and Lena smiled as she shrugged, “I mean, I call you Lena – I hope you don’t mind.”

 

            Shaking her head, Lena shook a few drops of water off her hand, “I don’t mind at all. The moment just seemed a bit serious, what with your questions and all.”

 

            “I hope I’m not overstepping, Your Highness,” Alex quickly climbed to her feet, looking a bit panicked, as if suddenly things had switched, and Lena was back to being a princess and Alex was breaking all of the etiquette rules that had been instilled in her since birth.

 

            “Not at all,” Lena assured her, jerking her head back towards the spot that Alex had just vacated, “I’m glad that you care so much about her. I know things had moved quickly, but that doesn’t mean I’m not sure. I’m very stubborn about things when I’ve made up my mind; I think the better question would be is _Kara_ sure.”

 

            Alex laughed, “oh trust me, I had to hear _all_ about how stubborn you are. And insufferable, and arrogant, and opinionated and childish. She had a lot of words to say about you. I knew she was in love with you _far_ before she did. Which you knew because of … the bet.”

 

            “Ah, yes, the bet,” Lena laughed, an amused look crossing her face, “I’m rather glad that you pointed it out to her. I think we would’ve been waiting forever if she didn’t have the thought put in her head.”

 

            “Well, you made the first move, right?”

 

            “I did,” Lena slowly said, a smile spreading across her face at the memory, “and completely ruined it all. It was bloody brilliant timing for that whole palaver with the shooting and then those photos. I think I was scared. Do you ever get scared with you and Maggie?”

 

            A smile curled the corners of Alex’s lips, and she looked up at Lena and nodded, “you know what, I’m terrified every day, but I love the rush. It’s all so new, and scary, but so, so _right_. I’ve never doubted it for a moment.”

 

            “Then you understand how I feel,” Lena told her, “I think I’m not afraid so much now though. I think … I feel like I’m home. I found my peace and my freedom.”

 

            “Then I hope that you’re both happy together,” Alex said, climbing to her feet and dusting off the back of her dress, “god knows you both deserve it. Now, we’d better return to the party before Kara thinks I’m being too hard on you.”

 

\---

 

            The engagement party wasn’t late, being a garden party, and dusk was descending when Lena appeared in the doorway of the sunlight sitting room, which, despite its name, was lacking the sunlight as the sun set beyond the windows. Kara’s family, and Sam, were drinking tea and eating cakes, and Kara looked up and smiled as her fiancé appeared, having disappeared for some reason that she wouldn’t share with Kara. Lena returned the smile and jerked her head out to the hallway, and Kara quickly put her tea down, excusing herself and waving everyone into their seats as they half-rose, slipping past everyone as she made her way over to Lena. As soon as she reached her, Lena linked wove their fingers together and pulled Kara along behind her, while Kara stumbled slightly and laughed.

 

            “Where are we off to in such a rush?” she asked.

 

            “Well that would just ruin the surprise,” Lena exasperatedly replied, “you’ll just have to be patient a few minutes longer.”

 

            Silently letting herself be towed towards the closest door leading to the garden, Kara didn’t say anything when Lena let them outside, obediently following as she glanced up at the sky, which was darkening, but still held some of the warmer colours above the tops of the trees and some of the taller buildings in the city. It was the perfect spring evening – just a little bit cold as the wind turned slightly bitter, grabbing at Kara’s dress and raising goosebumps on her exposed arms – and the garden was quiet, filled only with the sounds of rustling leaves, and the distant quacks of ducks on the pond on the far side of the estate. They walked down the steps, rounding the western edge of the palace as they cut through flowerbeds and trees, laughing as they tripped and stumbled, and then Lena pulled Kara aside, pressing her against the trunk of a peach tree and roughly kissing her. The bark bit into her skin, but Kara didn’t care as Lena cupped her face and pressed herself up against her, and soon, Kara didn’t even feel the cold anymore. When Lena finally pulled back, her eyes sparkling with amusement in the dim twilight, Kara breathlessly laughed, trying to catch her breath. “Was that why you brought me out here? To make out under a peach tree like two kids? You would’ve been better off taking me to a bedroom.”

 

            Lena laughed, reaching out to wipe a smudge of lipstick off Kara’s chin, smiling as she laced their hands together again. “No, I just really wanted to kiss you. Come on; it’s this way.”

 

            They quickly made their way through the rest of the garden, and as they rounded a row of hedges, Kara let out a small gasp of suprise, her face lighting up with wonder as the took in the illuminated lake. The sun had set just enough for the darkness to make the dozens of tiny candles floating on the top of the water glow brightly, while the pinks and oranges gave enough light to make it seem even more magical. It was like an in between state, as if they’d stepped into somewhere out of a dream, and Lena quietly laughed as she kept pulling Kara along. They didn’t say anything until they got to the edge of the lake, a few ducks quacking as they glided past, and Lena steadied the waiting rowing boat, kicking her heels off in the process.

 

            “Get in,” she told Kara, a lopsided smile on her face as she gazed up at her.

 

            Immediately following Lena’s orders, Kara kicked off her own heels and climbed into the small wooden boat, balancing herself as Lena climbed in after her, wobbling it before it settled into the water. Picking up the oars, Lena steadily began rotating them, smoothly guiding them across the top of the water, and Kara looked around in amazement, peering at the candles that bumped against the hull of the boat. There were so many of them, and it was beautiful, and looking up, she could see the first stars start to appear.

 

            “Lena,” Kara whispered, almost afraid to shatter the perfection of the moment, “it’s beautiful.”

 

            “I suppose it is,” Lena murmured, smiling softly as Kara turned her eyes back to her, and they crinkled slightly at the corners, which made Lena’s smile grow wider.

 

            “Thank you,” Kara said, standing up from her seat as she leant towards Lena, rocking the boat precariously.

 

            An uneasy look crossed Lena’s face as she reached out to try and steady them, giving Kara a stern look, “Kara, I swear to god, I’m wearing a fifteen thousand dollar Valentino dress and if you bloody tip the boat again-“

 

            “I won’t!” Kara assured her, quietly laughing as she closed the distance between them and slowly kissed Lena. She sat back down, watching as night descended and the candles burnt steadily while the boat moved of its own accord, leaving ripples in its wake. After a while, she moved, making sure to be slow as to not worry Lena. Carefully, Kara settled down in the gap between the two benches, her long legs bent to accommodate her height, and she smiled up at Lena, opening her arms to her. “Come and watch the stars with me.”

 

            Smiling, Lena carefully squeezed herself into the space beside Kara, loving the feeling of being curled up beside her, even if it wasn’t the most comfortable position. It was still perfect to her. Neither of them moved for the longest time, while Kara ran her fingers up and down Lena’s arm, watching the stars come out in full force as they lazily drifted on the top of the lake, with nothing but the sounds of ducks, the gentle lapping of the lake on the shore and reeds and leaves being blown by the wind to disturb their peace. They could’ve stayed out there all night, in their own little bubble as they floated amongst a sea of candles, spiraling and bobbing with the ripples cast from the rowing boat.

 

            “Kara,” Lena quietly whispered.

 

            “Mm?” Kara murmured, turning her head to brush her lips against the top of Lena’s head.

 

            “Do you think Eva is a pretty name?” Lena asked, looking up at her.

 

            Kara nodded sleepily, “yeah, I do. Why?”

 

            She felt Lena shrug slightly, “I was just thinking about names, you know, for when we have kids.”

 

            Shooting upright in surprise, Kara scrambled to face Lena with wide eyes as she opened her mouth to respond. Instead, she fell backwards and was met with a mouthful of gritty lake water as she capsized the boat, managing to make out Lena’s exclamation of surprise before she went under. Resurfacing into the dark interior of the boat, Kara coughed and spluttered, her hair plastered to her face as she wiped water out of her eyes. A moment later, Lena resurface with a splash, coughing and swearing as she tried to touch the bottom of the lake. They both swam on the spot, listening to each other breathe for a moment.

 

            “You want kids?” Kara blurted out.

 

            “Not anymore, because I’m going to bloody kill you!” Lena exclaimed, and Kara burst into laughter, and Lena shortly joined in, splashing water into Kara’s face.

 

            As their laughter died off, Kara fumbled in the dark inside of the boat, swimming forward until she almost bumped into Lena, before cupping her face in her hands. “You want kids?” she quietly asked again, her voice hitching slightly. Lena had made no secret of her dislike of kids, and Kara was surprised at Lena’s casual acknowledgement of the fact that they _would_ happen, because she’d been expecting an awkward conversation in the near future.

 

            “I want kids with you,” Lena said, and Kara could hear the smile in her voice. She leant in and placed a clumsy kiss on the corner of Lena’s mouth, before finding them in the dark and gently kissing her as she held them afloat. They broke apart, teeth chattering from the cold water as they laughed, and with another quick kiss, Lena leant in, “I’m still going to kill you though. _Twice_ , Kara, really?”

 

            “You surprised me,” Kara said, before she slipped under water and swam out from under the boat, quickly followed by Lena. Soaking wet, they both splashed their way back to shore, wringing out the hems of their dresses as their feet left tracks in the muddy grass, and they both perked up at the sight of attendants stood nearby, one holding warm towels, another, fluffy bathrobes, and the last, a tray with steaming tea. Gratefully shrugging on the robes and wrapping their dripping hair in towels, they took the tea and settled down on the bank of the lake, looking at the candles that rocked with the gentle rhythm of the lake, knees knocking as they snuck glances at each other, smiling around the rims of their mugs. Neither of them could find the words to explain how perfect the moment was.


	40. Chapter 40

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bc i have no plan, i'm not really sure, but i think the story might be coming to an end soon

            “Good morning, Your Majesty, Your Highness,” Lyra said as she breezed into Kara’s room. They both grumbled and stirred as she threw open the curtains, listening to the sounds of breakfast being set up at the table. “The time is seven o’clock, ma’am.”

 

            Kara struggled upright, alongside Lena, both of them with messy hair that had been left to dry naturally, and stretching widely as their eyes adjusted to the light streaming in. “Morning,” Kara mumbled, collapsing back against the pillows, while Lena climbed out of bed.

 

            “Good morning,” Lena said, smiling as she headed towards the bathroom. Lyra curtsied towards her, before taking her leave, and Kara followed after Lena. They showered quickly, and both of them wrapped themselves in robes as they made their way towards the bedroom door. Kara opened it and stepped into the rest of her suite, pausing as she took in the sight of hers and Lena’s assistants furiously whispering amongst themselves. They broke apart and fell silent at Kara’s appearance in the doorway, both of them dipping their heads as they curtsied slightly.

 

            “What’s wrong?” Kara asked, frowning slightly as she took in the sight of the two women who wouldn’t meet her eyes. It was another moment, before Jess stepped forward and picked up the folded morning newspaper, handing it to Kara before returning to her demure position. Unfolding it, Kara looked down at the headline and felt a sinking feeling inside. The front page had a photo of them close together, their hands entwined and bright smiles on their faces, taken ages ago, but brought up for the purpose of the article. The title announced their engagement.

 

            Kara held it out to Lena, who shook it out and let out a frustrated sigh, “for fuck’s sake.”

 

            It changed nothing, but there was still the disappointed feeling inside at the fact that the news leaked, instead of an official statement from the palace making the news public. Taking the newspaper back, Kara flipped to the article and started skimming over the words. “You can go,” she murmured to Lyra and Jess, who both curtsied before making towards the door. As Jess pulled it open, Kara’s eyes got caught on a few words, and held out a hand towards them. “Wait! Fetch my aunt.”

 

            The door shut behind their assistants and Kara handed the newspaper to Lena, who sat down at the table, reaching for the coffee and pouring them both a cup, before she settled down in her chair and began to read. She finished it much faster than Kara, and tossed it onto the wooden tabletop with a sigh. “Well, I guess that’s bloody out then.”

 

            “I’m sorry,” Kara said, giving her a small smile, “I know you wanted to wait a little while longer before it went public.”

 

            Lena reached out across the table, holding her hand open for Kara’s hand, which she obliging placed in it, and gave it a quick squeeze. “I don’t mind,” Lena told her, a smile softening the hard lines of her face, “of course I _want_ people to know we’re engaged. I’d shout it from the roof of the palace myself, just so that everyone could know. Didn’t you once say that some people would consider you a prize? Well I want them to be jealous that they can’t have you, because we picked each other. I just wanted some alone time to appreciate it with you.”

 

            Smiling, Kara gave Lena’s hand a small squeeze, “I love you, and I can assure you, everyone’s going to be jealous of _me.”_

 

            “The queen who stole the ice princess’ heart,” Lena said, giving Kara a wry smile, “who would’ve thought?”

 

            Laughing, Kara cut a piece of bacon and popped it in her mouth, feeling a bit uneasy at she waited for Astra to be brought to her. She knew that her aunt was going to be leaving later on that day, but she was still at the palace right now, so they wouldn’t have to wait long. The two girls were eating their breakfast and drinking coffee when there was a knock on the door. “Come in.”

 

            It opened to reveal Astra, looking sharp and alert in a pressed navy suit as she stepped inside, curtsying to both girls in turn. “Good morning. How did you sleep?”

 

            “You leaked this, didn’t you?” Kara said, completely ignoring the question as she picked up the newspaper and shook it out, before setting it down before her. “It seems that there are some doubts about whether Her Majesty is rushing into things with the Princess of Thorul, but and inside source confirmed that the Queen is willing to risk it all for her lover, and isn’t afraid of what people might think,” Kara coolly quoted. “I told you I didn’t care what people thought. I told you that I didn’t care if it ended in divorce, or what they wrote about us, because I was so sure.”

 

            Astra hesitated a moment, “I _did_ leak the news, but only for your benefit.”

 

 _“Our_ benefit?” Lena sharply asked, her eyebrows drawn low over her blazing eyes. “Our lives are none of your concern, Duchess, and this was a private matter that we would’ve shared in our own time. Now the press will be crawling around the place, and we won’t be able to step foot outside without someone hounding us or sneaking photos.”

 

            “Exactly,” Astra said, “you need to know what you’re up against for the rest of your lives. You need to know how it feels to be cooped up inside, or to be thrown into the thick of it. It’s your choice, which one you pick, but you’ll know whether you can make it through it. The press has been mild so far - you haven’t had any really big news since your family’s funerals and your coronation, Kara. Sure, they’ve been interested in your relationship, and there’s always someone taking photos, but you’ve never had to do couple interviews and photoshoots. You’ve been to charity events and greeted people in small towns, but you’ve never had to deal with all of the publicity that comes with being a royal couple. Not to this extent. You said you’re ready, and this will let you know if you are.”

 

            Kara felt a flicker of anger well up inside, but fought it back as she looked at Astra. “That _wasn’t_ your decision to make though, was it? We would’ve had to deal with this regardless; why couldn’t we have been allowed a few more weeks of keeping it a secret?”

 

            “I’m sorry for overstepping, but you _need_ to see what you’re up against,” Astra said, ducking her head apologetically, even though there was no shame on her face or in her voice.

 

            Pressing her lips together in a grim line, Kara frowned slightly, “it wasn’t your decision to make. We’re no longer under contract, and we don’t need your help; in fact, we didn’t need it even when we _were_ under contract. Thank you for your concern, but stay out of our business, please. I won’t have my privacy stripped away from me even further, and I don’t want to not trust you, Aunt Astra. You’re part of the few family I have left, and I don’t want things to be ruined between us.”

 

            “I’m sorry, I only meant to try and put things into perspective for you,” Astra murmured, “you know I love you like you were my own daughter, and I’d never intentionally hurt you – or your relationships.”

 

            “It’s fine,” Kara sighed, rubbing her tired eyes, “can you, uh, just get an official statement drawn up please. We’d better get on top of this and just announce it. There’s no point denying it now if we’re just going to come out with it in a few weeks anyway.”

 

            Astra curtsied and walked out, leaving them both to their breakfast, and Lena sighed picking up a piece of toast and biting into it with a disgruntled look on her face. Kara poured her some orange juice and slid it across the table, and Lena looked up, giving her a small smile as the frown disappeared. “It’s okay, Kara.”

 

            Nodding, Kara picked up her coffee and took a sip, reaching down to scratch the top of Aoife’s head as the huge dog came sniffing around the table. Feeding her some bacon, Kara smiled slightly, “we’ll need to make an appearance outside the palace once the statement drops. I’ll get Lyra to get sort out wardrobe for us and call in hair and make up. We’ll most likely have to do an interview too.”

 

            Grimacing, Lena nodded, “then we’ll probably need to talk to Astra again to help prepare ourselves for the questions. I’ll call in my publicist as well so she can help us go over everything. We don’t want to mess this up.”

 

            “I think we have _more_ than enough motivation to prove that we can do this,” Kara smiled around the rim of her coffee cup, “and I know your stubbornness won’t let you make us not pull it off without a hitch. We’ve got this, babe; now finish your toast and let’s get ready.”

 

\---

 

            They were standing inside the front doors of the palace, Kara anxiously pacing up and down the plush red carpet as she waited until they were ready to make a public appearance on the front steps of the palace. The statement had been released a few hours earlier, and by lunchtime, they were the only story running on every news station, website, social media, and there was no doubt that every magazine and newspaper were already working on stories to print for the evening news and tomorrow’s paper. Lena was stood against a marble pillar, arms crossed over her chest and a faint smile playing on her lips as she watched Kara nervously run her hands over the skirt of her dress. Taking a deep breath as she retraced her steps back towards the doors, Kara was stopped by a hand on her shoulder, and she jerked her head up to meet Alex’s brown eyes, crinkling at the corners as she looked at her sister with amusement.

 

            “You’re going to wear a hole into the carpet if you keep that up,” Alex told her, and Kara let out a nervous laugh, hearing Lena’s quiet laughter behind her, “take a deep breath, go and stand next to Lena, and don’t worry.”

 

            Kara smiled and nodded, “yeah, of course. You’re right, I’m being silly.”

 

            Alex dropped her hand, and Kara walked over to Lena, who pushed herself off the pillar and held her arms open, grabbing Kara by her upper arms and running her hands up and down them in a soothing manner. “Relax,” Lena quietly laughed, “all we have to do is stand on the steps and smile. Can you do that?”

 

            Rolling her eyes, Kara gave Lena a crooked smile, “of _course_ I can, but there’s going to be so many reporters. There’s going to be a _lot_ of them, and you know how I feel about big crowds. What if I start panicking? What if someone tries to shoot one of us again? What if-“

 

            “Kara, Kara, relax a second. I’m going to be right beside you, holding your hand, and I won’t let anything bad happen to you. No one’s going to shoot us – the place is bloody crawling with security - and if you panic, then we’ll come straight back inside.”

 

            “And the interview?” Kara asked.

 

            “We’ll be right next to each other again, and I can do all of the talking if you want.”

 

            Laughing, Kara reached out to hold Lena by her waist, wrinkling her nose slightly, “you hate that side of things even _more_ than I do.”

 

            “I love you more than I hate those things though,” Lena murmured, before glancing around to make sure no one was looking and leaning in to quickly kiss Kara. “Now, Your Majesty, it’s time for us to go and officially make our first public appearance as an engaged couple.”

 

            Feeling a lot lighter, if still a little nervous, Kara quietly laughed and offered Lena her arm, “Your Highness, if you please.” Lena let out a snort of laughter, looping her arm through Kara’s and smiling when Kara lifted it to press a quick kiss to the back of it, before giving Lena a wide smile.

 

            They walked towards the doors as they were pulled open by uniformed guards, who bowed slightly, waiting for the queen and princess to pass them by. It was blindingly bright outside, with a cloudless blue sky and a warm breeze, and they were met with shouts as they stepped out onto the top step, taking in the sight of reporters pressed up against the bars of the fence, some of them slipping arms through as they tried to catch the attention of the two girls. Camera flashes blinded them, and Lena quickly propelled Kara down half of the steps, before they stopped, Lena’s ring sparkling as it caught the sun, and Kara brought her own left hand up to gently rest on top of Lena’s, smiling down at her as she watched the cameras go wild out of the corner of her eyes. The proud and slightly smug smile of Lena’s face was enough to make Kara laugh slightly, her own smile widening as she looked down at the woman beside her. They were very loosely surrounded by bodyguards, standing at intervals on either side of the wide steps – close enough to get to them in an emergency, but far enough away for clear photos – and Kara found herself less nervous as she waved to the reporters and smiled for them. It was ten minutes later when she found herself in the cool interior of the palace, primly sat on a sofa in one of the small sitting rooms on the east wing of the palace, feeling relaxed beside Lena, but with a knot growing in her stomach as they waited for the Daily Planet reporter to begin the interview. They were always the first to report on the royal family of Krypton, and so they would get the exclusive interview with Kara and Lena too.

 

            Cameramen rushed around, and lighting crew fixed the white panels at the fringes of the room, and Kara and Lena had their heads tilted up slightly as their make up was touched up in preparation of the interview. It was a few more minutes before they were all ready, and Lena gave Kara’s hand a quick squeeze, her mouth turning up at the corners as she gave her a loving look. As the cameras started rolling, they fell into the interview, and as they both carefully answered the questions that had been prepared for them, Kara felt herself becoming more relaxed, especially when Lena was talking and she could just watch her, admiring the calm and confident way she navigated the questions. She was good at it, and Kara was relieved that at least one of them wasn’t a mess, nervously stumbling over words and hesitating – more than once, Lena’s aloof charm saved her with a dry quip or something that was _almost_ sarcastic, but managed to remain just inside of what would be considered appropriate for a royal. Kara found herself smiling the entire time, listening as the reporter asked the next question.

 

            “When did you know that you were going to marry her one day?” the reporter asked, smiling slightly as she scribbled a few notes – the cameras were never on her, so she was at liberty to make notes on every shift in their positions and looks that the happy couple shared.

 

            Kara laughed slightly, turning to give Lena a wry smile, “from the moment we first met – well, from the moment we were _reacquainted_. We hadn't talked since boarding school, but I walked into that room and a few minutes in, I just _knew_ we were going to get married one day. It was almost as if I saw my whole life planned out then and there.”

 

            She could see the way that Lena was trying to bite back her laughter, because it wasn’t even a lie – with the contract dictating every aspect of their relationship, they _did_ know that they would get married one day, and it was funny to think that they’d wound up on the sofa with matching engagement rings, all of their own accord. “I would agree, although it came as a surprise to us both at how quickly everything seemed to fall into place so easily. Everything just felt so easy between us, it was almost as if it was planned.”

 

            “So, how did it happen?”

 

            “I asked,” Lena quickly said, a proud smile on her face as her eyes lit up, turning to look at Kara, “we were in Ireland, and I had the ring with me. It felt like the right moment, and so I got down on one knee, and I asked her. It wasn’t anything grand, but it was a private moment, just between the two of us, and it was just so special to me.”

 

            “Was it romantic?”

 

            Kara laughed, “it was _very_ romantic. We were somewhere along the coast – along the cliffs of Moher – and anyone who’s been there knows that it’s just the most beautiful place. It was at sunset, so the sky and the view was beautiful, and it was just perfect, and a complete surprise.”

 

            A quick squeeze of her hand made Kara smile, and she met Lena’s warm green eyes, crinkling slightly at the corners as she smiled, and they both had to tear their gaze away as the reporter asked the next question. It only went for half an hour, before they were shaking the reporter’s hand and slipping out of the room, leaving everyone to pack up the equipment. They walked through the deserter corridor, Kara gently swinging their joined hands back and forth while Lena quietly laughed.

 

            “Was that so bad?”

 

            Kara smiled, “no, it wasn’t bad at all. How’re you feeling?”

 

            Shrugging slightly, Lena leant up to gently kiss her on the cheek, careful not to leave lipstick marks behind. “It feels … less invasive than I thought. I guess because we agreed to it. We’ll see how it goes when we go for pancakes tomorrow and we’re being hounded by _more_ reporters.”

 

            “We’re getting pancakes tomorrow?” Kara quickly asked, her face lighting up with excitement.

 

            “It was an example, darling, but you can have anything you want. We can have pancakes, and we can go to the art gallery that I know you’ve been wanting to go to. Maybe we can even go to that fancy Japanese teahouse that just opened.”

 

            “They won’t have scones,” Kara pointed out with a smile.

 

            Lena laughed, “no, but they’ll have better tea.”

 

            “I’ll make a note to get some brought from Japan for you,” Kara said, wrinkling her nose slightly as she gave Lena’s hand a quick squeeze, “and some of the sushi you like – only if you promise not to bet me to eat all the wasabi again.”

 

             _“Or_ you could not be so competitive,” Lena said, arching an eyebrow as she gave Kara a pointed look.

 

            “You _know_ if you bet me then I _have_ to do it. It would be like asking _you_ not to accept a challenge. If I said I could beat you to the west end of the palace, you would _have_ to try and beat me, and I would have to try and beat you. We’re both stubborn,” Kara said, shrugging helplessly.

 

            A slow smile spread across Lena’s face, “are we talking the western doors or …”

 

            “Lena,” Kara said in a warning voice, as she gave her fiancé a stern look, “we’re not children anymore – or trying to annoy each other.”

 

            “I know,” Lena said, as she kicked her heels off, letting them clatter to the marble floor, a challenging smile on her lips, “but you’re right, we’re stubborn.”

 

            Kara gave her an exasperated look, even as she slowly kicked her own heels off. They both stood barefoot, staring at each other silently as they stared at each other. “Doors!” Kara suddenly exclaimed, shooting off down the hallway with a loud laugh as Lena swore, her footsteps chasing after her. Flying around corners and almost bumping into staff, they chased each other through the hallways, heading from the east wing, through the main area, and into the west wing, breathlessly laughing as they bumped each other and tried not to trip on the rolled out carpet in the main hallways, or knock expensive vases off their stands. They were both out of breath when they reached the doors leading out to the western courtyard, and Kara’s hand slammed against it a mere second before Lena’s did, and she let out a triumphant shout while Lena threw her head back and groaned.

 

            “I’ve changed my mind,” Lena said, biting back a smile, “I’m not making anymore bets with you. What’s your prize?”

 

            With a thoughtful look on her face, Kara swayed back and forth for a few moments, before her face lit up with an expression that made Lena groan in anticipation of whatever was about to come out of her mouth. “You have to let me post a photo of us on my Instagram,” Kara said.

 

            “Oh, that’s it?” Lena asked, her eyebrows shooting up in surprise, “but I always let you, as long as I approve of it.”

 

            “Yes, but this time you’re going to let me post a picture from when we were at boarding school together,” Kara said, giving her a smug smile.

 

            Covering her face with her hands, Lena groaned again, “ _why?_ They’re so embarrassing, Kara! Do you want to embarrass yourself too?”

 

            “Are you saying I was ugly in school?” Kara asked, raising her eyebrows slightly.

 

            Lena looped their arms together, pressing her lips into a thin line as she grimaced slightly, “of course you weren’t, but _boarding school_ , Kara. That says is _all._ Those ugly navy dresses and knee high socks – ugh, it was bloody awful. And you didn’t have all sorts of hair colours and very heavy black eye shadow. _”_

 

            Laughing, Kara pulled her phone out of her pocket, going to her photos and quickly scrolling through. She tapped on a black and white photo and held her phone out for Lena to take a look. The picture was already engraved in her mind; it was of all of the captain’s of the school’s sports teams. There was Kara in her field hockey uniform, hockey stick in hand and a captain’s badge on her chest as she smiled widely for the camera. Both of her socks were drawn up to her knees, and her polo shirt was neatly tucked into her skirt. Everything about her was prim and proper, and she exuded happiness and pride. Beside her was a dark haired Lena – no odd colour or gothy make up – her brows drawn down low over her piercing stare, and her face neutral. She didn’t smile, but she didn’t exactly look pleased to be there. She had on her rowing uniform, the knee high socks unevenly rolled down, her polo shirt unbuttoned at the collar, and her hands in the pockets of the gym shorts. Kara had cropped out everyone else, and Lena laughed as she looked at it; they were complete opposites.

 

            “Okay, fair enough, that one’s not that bad, and you look cute,” Lena begrudgingly said, “you can have your prize.”

 

            Kara laughed, “I’d also like a kiss, if it’s not too much to ask.” Lena paused for a second, pressing her lips together as she pretended to think hard, and Kara pulled her close, smiling as she shook her head, and Lena mirrored her smile as she leant in and gave her a soft, lingering kiss. When they pulled back, Kara stole another quick kiss, before threading her fingers through Lena’s and dragging her through the palace. “Now, as a consolation prize, you can pick what we do for the rest of the day.”

 

            “How _generous_ of you, my dear,” Lena snorted, smiling as she kept pace with Kara, “how about we go outside, and we hide in the patch of trees at the north end of the garden and avoid _everyone_ for the rest of the day?”

 

            “That sounds _perfect_ ,” Kara said, kissing the side of Lena’s head, “better be quick or Hector will catch on.”

 

            Barefoot, they both made for the nearest door leading outside, running out onto the cobblestoned path and setting off across the grass, trying to be quick and quiet as they dodged plants and statues and surprised looking gardeners. By the time the reached the trees, they were both out of breath and collapsed onto their backs, staring up at the canopy of green leaves high above them as they lay side by side, hand in hand. They didn’t move for the rest of the afternoon – not until the sun had started to sink, leaching all of the colours out of the garden, and leaving them staring up at the lavender sky as dusk set it.


	41. Chapter 41

            It had been weeks and things hadn’t settled down since the engagement news had dropped, and each time they went out in public, it was a disorienting haze of people shouting and blinding flashes, until they were inside a building or in the car - there were no more casual strolls down the sidewalk. They were both managing it fine, but neither of them pretended like it wasn’t annoying, and at times, a little overwhelming. It was easier than they expected though, because they’d both set themselves up for excruciatingly difficult attempts at leaving the palace whenever they went out, and the fact that they could make it to their destination and hide in a quiet, cozy restaurant, hidden from the cameras, was better than they had hoped for, so their expectations fell short, and they were both relieved. Kara hadn’t spoken to Astra at all over the following weeks, even though her aunt had called on business a few times, but Kara used the excuse that she was busy with work so that she wouldn’t have to speak to her, and almost managed to convince herself that it _was_ the reason why. The truth was that she was still pissed, and it was glaringly obvious to everyone else who knew why, but Kara didn’t want to be mad at her aunt, even though she had a great reason to be. For once, she was glad that Astra’s work kept her so far from the palace all the time, because at least that way, they didn’t have to see each other.

 

            Lena had been shouldering the whole thing with as gracefully as she could, but Kara could see the physical relief as she flopped down into a chair whenever they made it back to the palace, and the way her shoulders dropped as the tension faded with the help of some brandy, which wasn't exactly new for Lena, who always handled things like that. The publicity was something they were familiar with, but the intensity and seemingly endless stream of reporters, was more than they’d experienced before. Questions about when the date would be, or who was going to design their dresses, and what Kara’s parents would think if they were alive were thrown their way, over and over again, and Kara almost wanted to yell the answers so they would have them and go away. She knew that wasn’t how reporters worked though, so she didn’t even give them an inch, and they were everywhere her and Lena went for weeks afterwards. Still, everything was perfect amongst themselves.

 

            They’d settled on spring the following year, giving them a little under nine months to plan everything and enjoy their engagement, before settling down into married life. It would have been almost two and a half years since starting the contract by then, which seemed a reasonable span of time to marry someone, even if they had been at each other’s throats for over a year of it. Sometimes it was startling to think about the hostility and dislike between them both at the beginning, even if it had mostly been due to their anger and irritation at the situation, rather than each other - although Kara would certainly say that Lena had disliked her a whole lot more than she had - and at nights when Lena lay wrapped up in Kara’s arms, they would laugh about it. Those were the best moments; when it was midnight and they were laying under the covers, both of them trying to be quiet, as though they were little kids who didn’t want to get caught, and they would tell each other ridiculous stories, or remind each other of memories they’d almost thought they’d forgotten.

 

            It was Thursday morning, and they’d already been woken up by Lyra, but hadn’t moved since she’s thrown the curtains open. Sunlight streamed in through the windows, bright and promising for the day ahead of them, and the blankets weren’t enough to block out the light as they lay beneath the covers. Kara slid the strap of Lena’s nightdress off her shoulder, pressing a kiss to the pale skin, while Lena laughed and squirmed slightly at the ticklish feeling of Kara’s soft lips on her back. “You’re going to be in trouble if you keep that up,” Lena murmured, her face pressed into the pillows.

 

            Kara quietly laughed, her fingers digging into Lena’s hipbone as she pressed up close and kissed the back of her neck. “Oh? What trouble is that?” Kara whispered. Lena sighed as she rolled over beneath Kara, pursing her lips slightly as a delicate frown graced her face.

 

            “You’ll get us in trouble with your sister,” Lena said, reaching up to brush the back of her fingers against Kara’s cheek, “you asked her to come yachting with us today, and we’ve got the meeting with our lawyers. We can’t do that if we’re in bed all day.”

 

            “It’s a good thing that I’m the Queen, and I can afford to lay in bed _all_ day if I want to,” Kara murmured against Lena’s lips as she leant down to kiss her, “and I should think that you’d love to get into some trouble.”

 

            Pushing the blankets over their heads, Lena sat up, pushing Kara up with her, and laughed slightly as Kara sat in her lap, her arms loosely wrapped around Lena’s neck as she smiled down at her. Lena’s fingers ran through Kara’s tangled curls, and she leant forward to kiss Kara’s neck, her lips a gentle graze that made Kara shiver slightly. “You know how much I love trouble, and I’m sure we’ll find some later today. Now, I don’t want you to be grumpy all day because you haven’t eaten; let’s shower and have some breakfast.”

 

            Making a small sound of protest, Kara climbed out of her lap, holding out a hand to drag Lena out of bed with her, and leading them to the bathroom. They quickly showered and dressed appropriately for the morning of important meetings, and made their way out to the table, which was laden with their breakfast. Kara was in the middle of chewing a piece of watermelon from the fresh fruit salad, while Lena read the newspaper, finding nothing incriminating about the two of them, and sipped at her cup of black coffee. They weren’t disturbed for another hour, until Jess knocked on the door and announced Lucy and Alana’s arrival, at which, Kara and Lena climbed to their feet and made their way to one of the rooms reserved for meetings. Both lawyers curtsied slightly at the entrance of the royals, and Kara gave them both warm smiles, while Lena gave them polite nods, a slight smile on her lips for Lucy, before they both seated themselves at the table, followed by their lawyers.

 

            “We’ll cut right to it,” Lucy said, producing a file and opening it. She quickly pulled out the agreements and laid one down before both girls, before she rounded the table and sat down opposite Kara. Alana seated herself beside Lucy, bringing out a fountain pen and setting down on the table for them both.

 

            “Miss Lane and I have compiled your individual finances and come up with a prenuptial agreement,” Alana told them, and both girls looked at the contract before them. It was one they were both willing to sign – out of best interests for each other, as well as the hopefulness that it wouldn’t come down to a divorce. If it did, they didn’t want to steal each other’s fortune though, and while neither of them thought that they would, it was a necessary thing, and they knew it. As the sole inheritor of her entire family’s fortune, Kara’s worth was an outrageous amount, and despite her only having a trust fund and a regular income as her title permitted her, Lena’s was surprisingly large too, and Kara knew that a large part of that was due to her liquidated funds in land, property and artwork. They both quickly read over everything, before Kara met Lena’s eyes and gave her a small smile; she knew Lena now had an aversion to contracts of any form, but at the smile on Kara’s face, Lena reached out for the pen and signed on the line with a flourish, with no hesitation at all. Reaching over, she took Kara’s copy and signed on all the lines on that one, before giving Kara a crooked smile that showed off her dimples, and held out the pen. Slowly reaching out, Kara took the pen, and after a searching look in Lena’s sea green eyes, Kara gave her a bright smile, her eyes crinkling slightly at the corners, and turned her attention to the prenup’s before her. Signing right beside Lena on all of the allocated lines, Kara recapped the pen and held it out to Alana, as Lucy stood, giving them both happy smiles as she collected the contracts, handing one to Alana, who filed it away in her briefcase, while Lucy did the same with the other.

 

            “Thank you,” Kara said to them both, and Lena replied similarly, climbing to her feet and reaching out to shake both girl’s hands. With the business side of things quickly taken care of, they went to get changed into clothes more suitable for yachting, and were soon in their car, heading towards the sea.

 

\---

 

            By the time they reached the docks, Alex and Maggie were already waiting on board the yacht with Sam and Ruby, and Kara laughed as Lena was almost knocked over by the enthusiastic child jumping onto the jetty and barrelling into her. They were quickly all safely on board, with only two bodyguards - Maggie was there too, but having been retired, she didn’t officially count - and Hector was guiding them away from the dock, while Kara wound up rope, and neatly stowed it away.

 

            The sandy shores of the coast gave way to the stretch of dazzling blue, and they watched seagulls wheel around, skimming low over the water, before pulling back up, and navigated their way past the other boats in the harbour. Soon, they were far enough out that all the other boats looked like little toys bobbing up and down, and there was silence, except for the creaking of the boat and the sound of the sea. The sun was warm on their faces, and smell of salt was invigorating, and the best part was that there were no reporters or paparazzi around. Kara could see the tension bleed out of Lena’s shoulders as they dropped beneath the white t-shirt covering them, and she smiled as she walked over to her. Taking her hand, Kara kissed the back of it and started pulling her towards the other end of the boat.

 

            The yacht was smoothly gliding over the top of the water as Kara led Lena over to the steering wheel, nodding to Hector, who stepped back and receded into the shade to watch the girls carefully. Moving up behind Lena, Kara took both of her hands in her own and lifted them, putting them on the steering wheel and kissing the side on Lena’s neck. “Now, do you remember what you learnt last time?” Kara quietly asked, feeling Lena shiver slightly at the touch of her lips.

 

            She laughed quietly turning her head to the side slightly, “yes; if I push you in the sea, you’ll sulk for the rest of the day and stop talking.” Kara let out a snort of laughter, tickling Lena on her ribs, right where she knew she hated it, and laughed again at the squeal of protest from Lena, who dodged to the side and turned to face Kara. Her eyes were hidden by her sunglasses, but her pout and furrowed eyebrows were enough to let Kara know she wasn’t impressed. “I’ll do it again, you know,” Lena threatened her as her lips twitched slightly into a smile, “I don’t care if I love you now, I’ll still push you in.”

 

            “Is that your way of telling me to be quiet?” Kara asked, arching and eyebrow while she gave Lena an amused look.

 

            With a sigh, Lena reached out to cup her cheeks in her hands and leant in to gently kiss her, “you _still_ don’t stop bloody talking, but I don’t think I ever hated it. I was just a miserable cow.”

 

            “I mean ... yeah,” Kara shrugged, laughing as Lena’s mouth fell open.

 

            “You’re supposed to defend me, you traitorous witch,” Lena huffed, even as she bit back a smile, and Kara laughed.

 

            Placing her hands on Lena’s shoulders, she turned her back around and guided her hands back to the steering wheel, moving up close behind her and resting her chin on her shoulder. “I’ll always defend you, _darling_ , but if anyone’s going to wind you up, it’s going to be me,” Kara said, her blue eyes sparkling as she looked out over the blue water.

 

            “Hm, well your odd sense of humour _is_ one of your more attractive qualities,” Lena murmured.

 

            “Please, tell me more about these attractive qualities,” Kara quietly laughed, moving their hands on the wheel slightly to the right to adjust their course.

 

            Lena was silent for a moment, and Kara could see her throat bob up and down, and a slight smirk on her lips. “Well there’s your kindness of course - I don’t think I’ve ever met someone so caring in my entire life. And your brain; you’re not stupid, and you don’t let anyone make you feel like you are, and I think it’s a good thing that you’re stubborn, or people would be treating you like an idiot because you can’t _possibly_ be able to be Queen at such a young age, _and_ as a woman. Speaking of stubbornness, perhaps it’s because I’m also stubborn, but I _do_ find it very attractive. That might also be because no one outside of my family has ever told me no before, and you were ... _quite_ the challenge. I think that our stubbornness made us refuse to admit how we felt for a long while, which makes this all the more,” she cut off and turned in Kara’s arms to steal a quick kiss, “sweeter.”

 

            Kara laughed, “hm, well I won’t argue with you there. I’d do it _all_ again, over and over, because it’s been some of the most exciting and wildest times or my life, and I’ve treasured every moment.”

 

            “No need to get all soft of me, darling,” Lena smirked, reaching up to fix Kara’s glasses for her.

            

            “You’re an ass,” Kara laughed, spinning her around and wrapping her arms around Lena, who held onto the steering wheel. They were quiet for a while, listening to the sound of waves breaking against the hull of the boat, and the wind in the sails.

 

            It was a few minutes later when Alex walked over with two glasses, handing them off to both of them with a smile. “Mimosas?”

 

            “Thanks,” Kara said, taking a sip and smiling brightly, “hey, did you want to sail? You can teach Maggie.”

 

            “Bored already?” Alex asked, and Kara rolled her eyes as she started to unbutton her shirt, quickly followed by her shorts. She was wearing a bikini, and the sun felt warm on her tanned skin as she basked in it, enjoying her drink.

 

            Lena slipped away from the steering wheel, heading towards the cabin, before she re-emerged with a bottle of sun tan lotion and towels in exchange for her drink. Kara let out a laugh as a disapproving Lena started rubbing some of the lotion all over her, a look of concentration on her face as she made sure she didn’t miss anywhere so Kara didn’t burn. Kara was patient, even as she fidgeted slightly, and she gave Lena a warm smile when she was finished. “Perfect. Time to catch a tan. Are you going to read in the sun with me?”

 

            Lena scoffed, “you have a better chance of convincing Hector to be off duty for the day, if you thin I'm going to stand in direct sunlight for longer than three minutes. And would you look at that, my allotted time is up; I'm going to go and read in the cabin. Don’t get too crispy - I don’t want to date a lobster.”

 

            “I’ll be quick - I don’t want you pushing me overboard again,” Kara said, leaning in to kiss Lena on the cheek, before she drained her mimosa and winked at her as she accepted a towel. Laying a towel out on the deck, Kara stretched out on it and watched as Lena wandered over to Ruby, handing Sam a towel and sending her over to Kara to sunbathe.

 

            Revelling in the feeling of the sun on her skin, Kara lay with her eyes closed, silent, except for the occasional word to Sam, until she heard Lena and Ruby’s laughter from inside the cabin. Pushing herself up onto her elbows, Kara cast her eyes towards Alex, who was whispering something to Maggie while she helped her steer, and then double-checked that Lena was in the cabin with Ruby, before gently clearing her throat. “Sam, may I ask you a question?”

 

            The other woman pushed her sunglasses up onto the top of her head as she looked at Kara, giving her a reassuring smile. “Of course.”

 

            Hesitating slightly, Kara’s face softened as she bit her lip, smiling as she looked out at the sea instead of meeting Sam’s curious gaze. “Do you- well, you’ve known Lena a long time now, right?”

 

            “Yes. I mean, she refused to admit we were friends - still doesn’t sometimes - but we’ve been friends since we were teenagers. I really only got to see her at official events until we graduated school, but she was the only person who supported me when I got pregnant. After school we just- we became even closer,” Sam quietly said.

 

            “Right,” Kara nodded slowly, before hesitating, “do you- do you think she’ll be a good mom?”

 

            Sam quietly laughed, flipping onto her stomach and propping herself up onto her elbows as she glanced at Kara with a warm smile on her face. “I think she’ll make a _great_ mom.”

 

            “You do?”

 

            “Yeah! I know she never wanted kids - _or_ a relationship - and that was okay, but there’s always that thought that if you meet the right person, you’ll change your mind, you know? I mean, she could’ve met you and _still_ not wanted kids, but she told me that she does want them. I’ve watched her with Ruby, and it’s- well, when it’s not _your_ kid, it’s scary to hold a screaming baby, and it used to make her panic, and she’s always been awkward around her when she was little - you should’ve seen her when Ruby started talking; she had _no_ idea how to talk to a child - but she’s always spoilt her rotten. Maybe she’s always doted on her because she never thought she’d have her own kids, but if that’s the way she is with my little girl ... I can’t wait to see what kind of mom she’ll be. I think she’ll be amazing.”

            

            Kara looked at Sam and gave her a shy smile, feeling warmth and love spread throughout her as she thought about Lena and their own child. “I think she will be too.”

 

            A few minutes later, she decided she’d had enough sun, and sought out the cool cabin and the food waiting for them, smiling as she took in the sight of Lena reading her book aloud to Ruby, who was sat so close, she may as well have been in Lena’s lap. Kara knew that she adored her godmother, and that was enough of an idea of how great Lena was, even if she’d never really loved kids all the much. Quickly grabbing a peach and a bottle of water, Kara winked at Lena, who had been distractedly watching her, and walked back outside. She sat down on a patch of the deck that was partially shaded by the sails, biting into the peach while she gazed out at the endless stretch of blue before her. A moment later, Lena sat down beside her, their knees knocking as she crossed her legs, and she reached over to pluck the peach off Kara, taking a quick bite, before giving it back. Shaking her head, Kara quietly laughed, reaching out to wind a strand of Lena’s hair back into her messy bun as the wind pulled at it.

 

            “Quick, no one’s looking,” Lena said, glancing around, and Kara raised her eyebrows slightly, until warm lips came down on hers. Smiling into it, Kara cupped her cheek and kissed her back, until a shadow fell across them and they jumped apart.

 

            Ruby had her hands on her hips as she frowned at them both slightly, “aren’t you not supposed to kiss in public?”

 

            Lena let out a snort of laughter, “she’s the Queen and I’m the Princess; we can do whatever we want, Rubes.”

 

            The curious teen sat down across from them, tilting her head to the side as she took in the rings on their fingers. “When you’re married, will that make you a queen as well?”

 

            “Nope, I’ll just been the princess of a different country,” Lena told her, a look of amusement on her face.

 

            “But if it was a man, would they be king?” Ruby asked Kara, who let out a quick laugh.

 

            “No, no one can be above me. They would be a prince, if I let them. Lena will be a duchess for a little while before we’re married - not a princess - and then I’ll make her a princess again,” Kara explained.

 

            Ruby was silent for a moment, before she looked up at Kara again, “can you make _anyone_ a princess?”

 

            Lena laughed, “is that your next birthday wish, Rubes?” The little girl blushed slightly as she shrugged, and Lena laughed again, giving her a small wink, “I’ll see what I can do for you. I might be able to get in good word with Her Majesty. Now, go on, you’d better get your mom to put more lotion on you before you burn.”

 

            They both shared a look as Ruby ran over to Sam, and Lena smiled slightly, “things go look forward to, I suppose.”

 

            “You _almost_ sound excited,” Kara snorted, “I never thought I’d see the day.”

 

            “Yeah, well, I told you, I’m not a dick to children, and I guess the idea’s been growing on me,” Lena murmured.

 

            Kara leant over to kiss her on the cheek, and Lena ducked her head slightly, her cheeks turning pink as she blushed, and Kara quietly laughed. “What’s wrong?”

 

            Lena laughed, wrinkling her nose slightly as she looked up at Kara, “nothing, I just- sometimes I’m still not used to just having someone kiss me for the sake of it. There’s no ulterior motives behind it - you just want to kiss me because you _want_ to. It makes me ... happy.”

 

            Her expression softened as she gazed at Lena, picking up her hand and placing a kiss to the back of it, before flipping it over and kissing her palm. “It’s not entirely selfless,” Kara murmured in between kisses, as she kissed the other hand and then started peppering Lena’s face with them too, “I just _really_ want to kiss you everywhere, all the time.” Lena let out a squeal of laughter as Kara kissed her on a ticklish part of her neck, jerking out of her reach as she laughed. “Come back, I’m not finished,” Kara laughed following after her.

 

            “No! You _know_ how I feel about being tickled,” Lena protested, climbing to her feet.

 

            Kara climbed to her feet too, with a small pout on her lips, “are the kisses not worth it?”

 

            “Well ... I’ve had better,” Lena teased her, and Kara gave her a look of mock offence, before running towards her. Lena shot off down the deck, the wood warm beneath her feet, and Kara followed closely after her, skirting the railing as they ran the length of the boat. She was about to say something, when she was tackled and went flying overboard, the cold sea closing in over her head and rushing into her mouth, which was open in shock.

 

            Resurfacing, Kara spluttered, looking around to see who had tackled her into the water, while she ignored the sound of laughter coming from onboard the yacht. A moment later a dark head broke the water, and Maggie brushed her wet hair out of her face, giving Kara a sheepish smile. “Maggie!?” Kara exclaimed, her mouth falling open in surprise.

 

            “Sorry, Your Majesty, my bodyguard instinct kicked in when I saw the Princess being attacked,” Maggie sombrely told her, her lips twitching at the corners as she tried to fight back a smile.

 

            Kara scowled at her, paddling in place as she waited for the life ring to be thrown out to her, “Lena put you up to this, didn’t she?” Maggie shrugged innocently, biting her lip as two dimples appeared in the wake of a smile. “What did she offer you?”

 

            Laughing, Maggie shrugged, “a week in the Bahamas.”

 

            Latching onto the life ring, Kara looked at Maggie and smiled, “I’ll make it _two_ weeks if you push her in.” Shrugging again, Maggie hooked an arm through the ring too, and they were both towed back to sure by the bodyguards on board.

 

            Flipping back onto the deck in a pool of water, both of them climbed to their feet, and Kara gave Lena an exasperated look. “Really?”

 

            “Well after you tipped the rowboat again, it only seemed fair to keep up this tradition too,” Lena smirked.

 

            Sighing, Kara turned to Maggie and gave her a smile, “if you please.”

 

            “Wha-“ Lena started to uneasily say, sending that something was wrong, but before she could even finish protesting what was about to happen, their was a splash as Maggie prodded her overboard.

 

            She resurfaced coughing and spluttering, a dark scowl on her face as she looked up at Kara, who was laughing, alongside everyone else, who had come to enjoy the show. “You’re an asshole, Your Majesty!” Lena yelled.

 

            “You love it,” Kara called back, giving her a bright smile as she tossed the life ring out to her.

 

            Back on deck again, a disgruntled and soggy looking Lena glowered at Kara, who was innocently smiling, before she turned to Maggie and promptly pushed her back into the sea. The rest of the afternoon turned into a battle, during which everyone managed to take at least one trip over the side of the boat, and true loyalties were tested and broken, when Sam pushed Lena overboard, and Alex pushed Kara in to save her girlfriend. By the time they’d all exhausted themselves, the sun was setting, and wrapped in towels, they all sat in a line along the side facing west towards the horizon, watching as the sky turned a dozen shades of pink as they ate the sandwiches and cakes packed for them.

 

            Kara’s hair was a salty tangle of curls, and Lena’s was too, leaning it on Kara’s shoulder as they sat side by side, and Kara turned her head to kiss the top of them. Resting her head on top of Lena’s, she stared out at the sunset, and let out a small sigh. “What’s wrong?” Lena’s murmured, reaching out to give Kara’s knee a gentle squeeze.

 

            “Nothing,” Kara quietly laughed, “it’s all _perfect_. I could stay here forever.”


	42. Chapter 42

            Almost everyone was sitting under the canopy of the tents, seeking the shade while the polo match raged on before then, but Kara was too excited. She stood right near the fence, like she always did at Lena’s matches, eagerly watching as her fiancé rode up and down on her black horse, knocking the ball about whenever her teammates sent it towards her. She was considerably smaller than everyone else, with her other teammates being Jack and two of his friends, and the other team being made up of four men. Her white pants were neatly tucked into knee high boots, her knees were covered with little knee pads, and her shirt was black with a number one on her back, because even I polo, Lena would never be less than number one. The only spot of colour was her green helmet, which Kara had bought her a few months ago when she’d insisted that Lena needed to add more colour to her uniform - everyone else had more colourful helmets to help distinguish them, so Lena should as well. Lena had begrudgingly agreed, and now Kara was content to keep her eyes on the green helmet in the fray of horses as they raced back and forth, tearing up the grass while they chased after the ball.

 

            She held a glass of champagne in hand, and Lyra stood behind her, holding a parasol to shade Kara from the bright sunlight. Only a few men were into the sport enough to crowd around the fence like Kara, who was cheering solely for Lena. Polo had never held much interest for her, but it was one of Lena’s favourite pastimes, and so Kara enjoyed it for her, learning not to stumble away from the fence when the players got a little too near, or wince when Lena got bumped. A part of Kara suspected that Lena enjoyed it so much because that, and her martial arts lessons, was the only time people didn’t treat her like a delicate princess. She could be roughed up and sweaty and no one made any comments other than how well she had played. The light in her eyes after a game was always enough to make Kara’s heart flutter a bit, enjoying the feeling of seeing Lena so carefree.

 

            As she watched, Jack scored another goal and soon after time was up. Kara clapped along with everyone else, smiling brightly as she watched the players make their way off the field, knowing that Lena would be happy and smug for the rest of the day. Patiently waiting for Lena to come to her, Kara sipped her champagne, squinting slightly at the harsh sunlight as she tried to spot Lena near the mass of horses, which the stable hands were sorting out. A moment later Lena was rounding the fence, unfastening her helmet as she laughed at something Jack said, and making her way over to Kara. Draining her glass, Kara handed it to Lyra and stepped out from under the shade of the parasol, taking a few steps towards the two players as they approached.

 

            “You played amazingly,” Kara excitedly told Lena, leaning forward to kiss her on the cheek, making sure not to make things too public at such an event. It was fine in their own time in public, but not at social events with other people of their class, and Kara was too nervous about getting them all talking about her disregard for their unspoken rules to even risk it. “Well done on that goal - it was incredible!”

 

            “You’re too kind,” Lena laughed, tucking her helmet under her arm and brushing back her messy hair. She turned and accepted a glass of water off a nearby server, who offered the same to Jack.

 

            Kara turned to give him a smile, and he bowed slightly, returning it, “congratulations on the winning goal. It was well played, but then again, I should know that you two together are a force to be reckoned with.”

 

            “Thank you, Your Majesty,” Jack said, “I can assure you, Lena’s the brains behind it all. Us fellows are just the muscle.”

 

            “I can believe that,” Kara laughed, giving Lena a loving smile.

 

            Draining her water, Lena shrugged slightly. “What can I say? I _am_  smarter than everyone else. You’d be stupid not to listen to me.”

 

            “Mm, that’s how you tricked me into having this ring on my finger,” Kara said, and Lena rolled her eyes.

 

            “Please, who _wouldn’t_ say yes to me? Anyone would be honoured to marry someone as brilliant and amazing as myself,” Lena said, smirking at Kara.

 

            “Don’t forget humble too,” Jack supplied.

 

            Kara muffled a laugh, biting back a smile as she watched Lena delicately arch an eyebrow at her. “Why be humble when I know I’m right? Come on, Jack, how many hands have I had to turn down?”

 

            “Oh?” Kara innocently asked, her eyebrows shooting up in surprise as she looked between the two of them, “and who did I have the privilege of beating?”

 

            “Well,” Lena sighed, a thoughtful look on her face, “there was Lex’s friend when I was eighteen - the poor boy thought I would _actually_ say yes. Then there was one of my father’s friend’s sons - I think I was twenty then - by god, he was beautiful, but I hardly knew him. Then ... I think it was twenty-three with Morgan Edge, right, Jack?”

 

            “Morgan Edge?!” Kara exclaimed, her jealously growing with each name that fell past Lena’s lips, “he’s at least twice your age!” She scowled slightly as Lena laughed, a smirk gracing her lips.

 

            “He wanted himself a trophy wife, and what better trophy than a princess, right? I told him to bugger off though,” Lena sighed, “then Ronnie asked me once after a wild night out - we made it all the way to Vegas, but we were sober by the time we got there and realised what we were doing.”

 

 _“Veronica?_ You said you and Veronica- _”_ then Lena and Jack burst into laughter and Kara blinked in surprise, “oh, you’re having me on, aren’t you? God, you’re the worst! I actually _believed_ you for a second, you asshole.”

 

            “You were jealous, weren’t you?” Lena asked, tilting her head to the side as she smiled up at Kara. “Don’t worry - I never gave anyone a second look until I met you.”

 

            Jack pressed a hand to his chest, “much to my pride’s displeasure. You know, I don’t think Lena’s ever noticed how handsome I actually am. I might not be a prince, but with a face like this … I thought she never noticed because she didn’t wear her glasses around me, but apparently I’m not blonde enough.”

 

            “You’re as vain as the day we met, Jack,” Lena sighed, her lips curling up into a slight smile, “now, I need to shower and make myself presentable for tonight, or Kara will have my head, so I’ll see you tonight.”

 

            “Of course,” Jack readily agreed, “I would never turn down an invitation from Her Royal Majesty.” He gave Kara a roguish wink, and she laughed, holding her hand out for him to take and bow slightly.

 

            “We’ll see you tonight then.”

 

\---

 

            They pulled up to the gallery to the sight of flashing lights from the cameras, and Kara smiled brightly as she stepped out of the car, giving the press a quick wave, before holding her hand out to help Lena out. They both wore expensive dresses, and around Kara’s wrist was a priceless diamond bracelet off Lena – a surprise gift for her to wear to the party. Of course, she didn’t know that it wasn’t a party, but she’d given Kara a gift all the same, and Kara hoped that her gift would be just as priceless, despite the fact that if it was given a price, it wouldn’t have been up in the millions.

 

            Stepping onto the red carpet, they smiled for the cameras, before walking over to start greeting some of the people waiting behind the barricades. Kara shook countless hands, knowing that the cameras were capturing every moment of it, until her security started getting a bit fidgety at her being exposed for so long, and urged her to go inside the building. Relenting, mostly to relieve Lena of the tedious job of keeping an overly bright smile in place while she conducted her role as a gracious princess well, they both disappeared into the foyer of the gallery. It was small and plain, and they were soon waved through to the main area of the gallery, which was almost as bare, aside from the dozens of pieces hanging on the walls. Little lights illuminated each tiny sketch, with small cards next to each one, describing it in a sentence. Kara had painstakingly gone through the effort of writing each one herself, knowing her own sketches better than anyone else, having never shared them with anyone other than Lena and Alex, and she was pleased to see how many people had turned up for the gallery opening.

 

            “Who’s the artist again?” Lena asked, her eyes locking on the first sketch as she propelled them towards it, eagerly hoping to find someone else’s art that she could admire and collect.

 

            “Ah, well, see,” Kara nervously rambled, “this is actually a, uh, shall we call it an engagement gift? See, I’m the artist, and you’re my muse.”

 

            Lena sharply looked up at her, her eyes wide with surprise, “this is _your_ gallery opening?”

 

            Nodding, Kara gave her a shy smile, “I wanted the world to see you how I do. They’re not for sale – of course – but I have ones throughout our entire relationship, and I wanted to showcase it. I hope that’s okay. I should’ve asked, but I wanted it to be a surprise for you as well.”

 

            She nervously waited for Lena’s reply, taking in the narrowed eyes on her fiancé’s face as she studied the closest sketch. It was the hazy likeness of Lena in the wingback chair in Kara’s private sitting room, her knees drawn up to her chest and her fingers splayed across the cover of a book as she intently read, her brows low over her eyes and her dark hair falling into her face. Lena turned around, scanning the vast room and taking in the vast number of sketches carefully framed on the walls, before she looked back at Kara. “I didn’t realize you had so many.”

 

            “You’re all I’ve drawn for months,” Kara murmured, reaching out to cup Lena’s cheek and gently run her thumb across her cheekbone. They slowly drifted away from that sketch, moving towards another one and accepting the glasses of champagne brought over to them. There was Lena again, this time kneeling in a flowerbed as she tended to her carefully cultivated roses, a pair of garden shears in a gloved hand, and a perfect rose being guided to her nose as she leant in to smell it, a faint smile playing on her lips. There were endless sketches of her doing various things, and each one plainly showed the painstakingly care that each one had been drawn with – even the the rough sketches of various body parts; the delicate arch of her neck, her slender fingers, her perfect mouth curved in to a smirk. Each sketch spoke of their love for Lena, far before Kara had even known she loved her.

 

            “I love it,” Lena softly told her, her eyes shining slightly, “thank you. You were definitely right when you said that if you were allowed, you could be very romantic – if only I’d known back then. Now I only wish I could show you how I feel in some way like this, but I can’t draw a straight line.”

 

            Kara’s face softened as she stared lovingly at Lena, reaching out to pick up her hand and kiss the back of it, before she drifted towards their friends, who she could see were waiting for them so that they could congratulate Kara on the success of her gallery opening. “You do every day, just by being with me, because I know how hard that was for you to do at the beginning. Thank you for choosing me.”

 

            Letting out a quiet laugh, Lena smiled up at her, “I wouldn’t have wanted anyone else. Now there’s only one thing left to do to make sure you know that.”

 

            “Oh? And what’s that?” Kara asked, stopping in her tracks and tilting her head to the side as she curiously stared at Lena, wondering what she had in store for them.

 

            Leaning up to quickly kiss her on the tip of her nose, Lena pulled back and laughed again. “Now we have to get married.”


	43. Chapter 43

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the delay, I've got a lot going on right now, but we did it lads! thank you so much for reading this, I really appreciate it :)

            The media had been flooded with rumours and speculation for weeks leading up to the wedding; would the royals be wearing dresses or their military dress uniforms? Was it true that Lena had ordered ten thousand doves to be released out over the city after the ceremony? (She had assured Kara that it wasn’t true – it was only a thousand, which was perfectly reasonable.) And who was invited, and who wasn’t. By the time the week of the wedding rolled around, Lena had almost decided to call it quits and secretly fly them to Vegas and elope, because a month of endless news about the event was almost enough to turn her off weddings for life. Both of them were willing to admit that the endless planning had been tedious, even if they tried to make it fun, but they were making a statement. It was going to potentially be the biggest wedding of the century, with it live broadcast to the whole world, and the most lavish decorations for it. No one would doubt their love and commitment to each other. Kara had been surprised when Lena had argued for bigger and better for everything, having assumed that Lena would want a small, intimate wedding, but when she realized that Lena wanted it as big and expensive as possible, she didn’t have to ask to know why. It didn’t matter how their relationship had started – it didn’t matter _why_ – they fell in love on their own, and the whole occasion was going to be a giant fuck you to everyone involved in the contract, because they had done this on their own. Kara was all too willing to oblige.

 

            They’d spent months going over cake decorations, and debating whether ten tiers were too many, and whether vanilla was too boring. There were endless meetings with designers, until they found the perfect one to help them individually design their dresses, while making sure they complemented each others. Almost every day for a month they’d have the most prominent chefs in the world come to the palace to make them food, in the hopes that they’d be the one to have the honour of catering for the wedding. It had been good practice for the both of them, with the constant media attention, and they had come out on top of it, despite everyone’s initial reservations. No matter if people said they would crack under the pressure, or they hadn’t been together long enough, they had ignored them, and carried on together, and eventually the day of the wedding rolled around.

 

            Kara wouldn’t pretend she wasn’t nervous – she knew Lena would pretend she wasn’t, even though she was – and she couldn’t help but fidget with her engagement ring as she sat before the vanity, having her hair perfectly curled and pinned into place. The thought of cameras on her was nervewracking, and although it had been the same at her coronation, this time she not only had to make sure she didn’t fall, but she had to pretend that she wasn’t nervous that Lena wasn’t going to show up. It was a foolish thought, and she knew it, but it was that tiny nagging voice in the back of her mind that wouldn’t go away, even though she knew that Lena was going to be there, maybe dressed in white, but possibly in something outrageously black and gothic, just to piss off the church. Kara would think it was funny though, even if it made her groan, and she would marry her in rags and _still_ think Lena was the most beautiful person she’d ever seen. No matter what, they were getting married today, and Kara silently prayed that it all went off without a hitch.

 

            “Stop fidgeting!” Alex scolded her as she walked in, her hair in rollers and a silk, ivory dressing gown tied at the waist, “you’re going to pass out if you hyperventilate like that down the aisle.”

 

            “Let’s see if you’re so blasé when you’re walking down the aisle yourself,” Kara said, giving her an exasperated look.

 

            Alex laughed as she walked over to her, standing just out of the way of the woman doing her hair, so she wouldn’t interefere, _“I_ won’t be on national television – wait, _worldwide_ television.”

 

            “Thanks, that’s helping so much,” Kara grumbled, pressing her lips together in a grim line. “Did you get in touch with Jess?”

 

            “I did one better,” Alex smiled, “Lena spared me a moment.”

 

            Kara whipped her head around, apologizing to the stylist, who let out a small sound of complaint at the abrupt movement, “what’d she say?”

 

            Letting out a quick laugh, Alex gave her a slow smile, “your fiancé made it very clear that if you don’t walk down the aisle today, she’ll most likely be in prison after funding the next assassination attempt on your life … so I think you can worry less about her doing a runner. She also told me to tell you to take a deep breath and calm down, because she doesn’t want to marry you if you have wrinkles at twenty-seven. Personally, I think she has a point – I’m surprised you haven’t turned grey with all the worrying about the planning.”

 

            “You’re both hilarious,” Kara dryly replied, smiling slightly, “did she say anything else?”

 

            “She loves you,” Alex said, “and she looks hot. Well, _she_ didn’t say that – _I_ added it – but as if she’s _not_ going to look great, right? Just some motivation for you, in case your feet are getting a little bit cold.”

 

            Scoffing, Kara rolled her eyes, “please, as if I’ve ever wanted _anything_ more. If I had to wait a day longer, I think I’d end up taking her up on the elopement offer.”

 

            “Okay Miss ‘we have to get married in the cathedral because only God is above me’, as if you would _ever_ elope,” Alex snorted with laughter.

 

            “It’s tradition!” Kara protested, “and what’s expected of me.”

 

            “Yeah, yeah, we know you’re the model Queen. I’m still surprised Lena agreed though – she’s never been traditional _or_ done what was expected of her - but then again, she picked you,” Alex said, rolling her eyes.

 

            Kara smiled at the words; Lena had picked _her_. Despite their bickering and arguing, and their differences of opinions, they had been perfect for each other, and they’d been lucky enough to realize that before it was too late. It had been over two years since they’d first started pretending to be in love, and it was laughable at how they’d been around each other at the beginning, compared to where they were now, and sometimes they wondered how no one had realized it was fake. Everything they’d done together before was so different to how things had been since they’d gotten together – now their love was for themselves, rather than the public. Even though they still had their royal duties – which Lena begrudgingly agreed to, for Kara’s sake – they spent less time in front of the cameras, and more time enjoying themselves with their friends and family. Everything else had come naturally, and they’d settled down so easily, that sometimes it felt like they’d known each other their entire lives – loved each other their whole lives. If anything, they were able to appreciate the fact that they’d been thrown off the deep end at the beginning, because without that, they would never have willingly spent enough time together to learn all of the little things about them that they’d grown to love over the course of the insufferable situations they’d been forced into. They wouldn’t be getting married right now.

 

            “Hey, stop daydreaming or you’re going to late,” Alex said, gently nudging Kara, “and by the sounds of things, your bride has a sniper waiting in the wings.”

 

            Laughing, Kara looked at herself in the mirror, gently touching the golden curls and watching as a few more diamond hairpins secured it all into place. Her makeup was already finished, which just left getting dressed, and Kara climbed to her feet and walked over to the white dress, which was hanging up in a bag on a rack. Undoing the zip, she took in the white, and an excited smile spread across her face as she looked at it. It was plain in the front, because the ceremony was doubling as Lena’s coronation too, which meant that there was going to be other official regalia worn, and Kara didn’t want to be too over the top. She was helping into it by Alex and Lyra, and Kara admired it in the mirror, while her sister did up a row of pearl buttons on the back. It was plain white satin, beautifully cut so that it fell down the floor, giving her a little bit of a skirt, without looking puffy, and long sleeves – their shoulders had to be covered in the cathedral. The back was mostly a fine lace, decorated with floral patterns, and the row of pearls down the back. It was expensively understated, but there was no doubting that it would’ve cost a fortune, and looked beautiful on Kara.

 

            “Does this count as old, borrowed and blue?” Alex asked as she helped Kara put on a deep blue sash, cutting the plain white in half as it fell from shoulder to hip, before turning to take one of the family orders out of the slim wooden box that Lyra held open nearby. They were neatly pinned onto the sash, alongside Kara’s military medals and other awards, and she ran a hand over the sash as she looked down at the silver and diamonds.

 

            “Not borrowed – this is my sash. It’s new too,” Kara shrugged.

 

            “Perfect!” Alex said, smiling as she turned to accept the small velvet box that Eliza carried over with a smile. She opened the box and Kara’s face split into a wide smile as she looked down at the pair of earrings nestled inside.

 

            Eliza gave her a warm smile as Kara looked at her, “they were given to me by my father on my own wedding day. I know you have your family’s ring, but you’re also my family, and I’d like you to wear them too.”

 

            Kara blinked back tears as she wrapped her in a hug, giving her a grateful squeeze, “thank you, Eliza. You’ve been the best mother I could’ve asked for, and I’m so grateful to you for everything you’ve done for me.”

 

            “I only wish your parents were here for this,” Eliza said, giving Kara’s cheek an affectionate pat when they pulled back, “I think they’d be very proud of you. I am too.”

 

            Nodding as she swallowed the lump in her throat, she took one of the earrings off Alex and put it on, and then the other. After that, she was guided to a chair, where the diamond encrusted tiara was carefully placed on the top of her head, before the veil was attached behind it.

 

            “And lastly, this is off Lena,” Alex said, procuring another velvet jewelry box, which she opened to reveal a small card that partially covered the necklace inside. Plucking the card out of the box, Kara quickly read over the elegant writing and let out a quiet laugh.

 

 

_Just a small gift for you to wear today. I already know it’ll look beautiful on you_

_-L x_

 

 

            Looking down at the thin row of diamonds, Kara let out another laugh, because just one look at it let her know it was worth millions, and of _course_ Lena would call it a small gift. Taking it out of the box, Kara held it up to her throat and turned around, and Alex brushed her veil aside to fasten the choker for her. All the while, Kara couldn’t help but wonder if Lena liked the one she’d sent her just as much as she loved this one.

 

            “Okay,” Alex said, resting her hands on Kara’s shoulders and spinning her around, “are you ready?”

 

            Taking a deep breath, Kara nodded, “I think so. Dress. Tiara. Shoes. Oo, the bouquet-“

 

            “On the table,” Alex interjected.

 

            “Right. Jess remembered the rings?”

 

            “Lyra double checked with her already,” Alex said, spritzing Kara with some expensive perfume from the vanity, before doing the same for herself. “Do you want me to sneak you a mint before we go? You know, for the big kiss.” Laughing, Kara opened her mouth, and Alex tossed two in and tapped her chin for her to close her mouth. “Mom, do you have everything?”

 

            Eliza nodded, and picked up Kara’s bouquet for her, smiling brightly as she looked at her two daughters. “God, you’ve both grown up so fast. Coronations and weddings – soon there’ll be christenings too.”

 

            “Okay, we’re trying to get her _down_ the aisle, mom,” Alex laughed, “not frighten her away from her bride with the thought of motherhood before thirty. She’s still got a few more years to have fun.”

 

            Kara gave Alex a gentle nudge, wrinkling her nose at her sister, before her face split into a wide smile. “Well, it looks like you need to get a move on then,” Kara murmured, jerking her head towards Maggie.

 

            Blushing slightly, Alex leant in close, “I’m working on it. No announcements while there’s already a royal things going on in the family and all of that. I didn’t want to steal your spotlight.” She gave Kara a quick wink, and Kara’s eyes widened in surprise. Things with Maggie had been going great for Alex, and, if anything, hearing that Alex was planning on proposing only made Kara feel even more impossibly happy. She gave her sister’s hand a squeeze, and a warm smile, before she looked up at Lyra, who was holding out a bouquet of flowers. They were pale shades of blush, nude and white, and Kara tightly held it in her hand, almost unable to believe that she was actually getting married. It felt like she’d been waiting forever for this moment, and the slow lead up to it had been torturously sweet, and Kara had cherished every moment, but she could hardly contain her excitement at the fact that the day was finally here.

 

            With a few last minute touch ups, they were ready to go, and Kara threw her shoulders back as she made for the door, which was opened by the bodyguards who bowed slightly. Everyone fell into step behind her as she swept down the hallway, the skirts of her dress trailing slightly behind her, and her pulse racing as her nerves and excitement grew. There were a few photographers at different points throughout the palace, and there were dozens of photos before Kara descended the grand staircase and made it onto the stretch of red carpet leading towards the towering front doors. As her maid of honour, Alex left first, with Eliza, to make their entrance before Kara and Lena did. Neither of them had fathers to walk them down the aisle, and while Kara had Eliza, she’d decided that they should both walk down the aisle by themselves, to avoid questions about why Lillian or Lex wasn’t doing the same for Lena – she wouldn’t want either of them to walk her down the aisle. It had taken a lot of convincing on Kara’s part to even get Lena to invite them, and there had been many compromises throughout the whole planning; that was just another one.

 

            With some more wishes of good luck, Kara watched as her sister and adoptive mother disappeared through the front doors to the sound of excited shouts, before walking into a side room to wait for her turn. Lena would be leaving before Kara, having stayed in a different wing in the palace last night, to make sure they didn’t bump into each other this morning. A detailed schedule had been drawn up to ensure that there was plenty of time in between the comings and goings of each other, so that they wouldn’t tempt fate with the breaking of traditions – they didn’t need anymore bad luck. Nervously pacing and back and forth, Kara could barely hold back the urge to open the door and peek out into the hallway, because she knew that any moment now, Lena would be waking down it in her own dress, and it was almost unbearable to have to wait a little while longer to see her. Restraining herself, Kara fiddled with the bouquet in her hands and thought about Lena, smiling to herself as her heart fluttered in her chest. Nothing in the world would keep her from that cathedral – from walking towards the woman she loved more than anyone else in the world.

 

            It was another five minutes, before a man dressed in the household guard uniform opened the door, and bowed slightly, standing aside for Kara to pass by him. She could still hear the crowd screaming from Lena’s departure, and she brushed a hand against the skirts of her dress, drawing in a shaky breath as she walked towards the towering doors. At a nod to the guards standing at the doors, they parted to reveal the steps leading down to the courtyard, lined by soldiers in red uniforms, who all saluted as Kara slowly walked down the steps to the thunderous applause and cheers from the enormous crowd pressing up and gathered around the palace walls. The flag of Krypton, and the royal crest of the House of El was everywhere – on banners, flags and merchandise – and helicopters flew around overhead, televising the whole thing, while cameras flashed in the crowd as photographers took photos, and reporters filmed the whole thing live. The military and police were crawling around the place, making sure that the day went off without a hitch, and Kara didn’t pause as she made her way down the the lavish horse-drawn carriage waiting for her, knowing that she didn’t have the best track record with being out in the open for public celebrations. It would be just her luck to get shot on her wedding day – apparently by Lena, if she didn’t hurry up and meet her at the altar. A footman opened the carriage door for her, holding a hand out to help Kara up the couple of steps, and Kara settled herself down on the plush bench, peering out of the window as the door was shut and the footman took his place on the back of the carriage. With a command, the horses were urged into motion, and the carriage was pulled along behind them, with Kara’s excitement growing as they made their way towards the gates. They parted, and the military kept the crowd back as the carriage passed between them.

 

            The straight line from the palace gates to the doors of the cathedral was clear, except for the household guard escort, and a few police on motorbikes. Lena would already be inside by now, waiting for her at the altat, feeling just as excited as Kara was, and maybe a little nervous too, even though she wouldn’t admit it. Kara couldn’t help but smile to herself in the back of the carriage at the thought, occasionally leaning forward to tentatively wave to the crowds of people lining the road. She was blinded by the camera flashes whenever she poked her head forward, and knew that there were already hundreds of photos of her online – and Lena too. If she had a phone, she could’ve checked to see what she was wearing, to see how beautiful she looked and see what everyone was saying about her. Instead, she was left fidgeting in her seat, anxiously awaiting the moment that she would see her.

 

            It was fifteen minutes before the carriage drew up in front of the cathedral doors, and the footman hopped down off the back, opening the door and offering Kara a hand as she ducked her head and stepped out of the carriage. The shouts were almost deafening, and she felt her nerves grow as she smiled, reaching the red carpet rolled out to meet her and watching as some military personnel saluted, while other important people bowed and curtsied. Without hesitation, Kara made her way into the interior of the cathedral, staring at the closed doors that separated her from Lena, her family, and hundreds of people. Alex had already walked down the aisle, along with Sam, as the two maids of honour, followed by Lena, which just left her. Taking a deep breath, Kara held the bouquet in front of her, and threw her shoulders back, giving the soldiers at the doors a quick nod.

 

            They parted, and Kara took a step forward, before faltering slightly. She wasn’t wearing her glasses, but she had her contacts in, and in the sea of faces, all she could see was Lena – or rather, the back of her – and it was enough to make Kara stop in her tracks, as a smile spread across her face. The inside of the cathedral was decorated with thousands of flowers, and a choir was singing, accompanied by an old church organ, and every pair of eyes, except one, was on her, but it all faded to nothing, and Kara had to tell herself to go slow and steady, before she tripped over her dress in her haste. Walking over the carpet of petals that Ruby must’ve left on her way down, before her mom, Kara couldn’t keep the smile off her face, and not just because she knew she was being filmed, with millions of eyes around the world on her right now. She couldn’t help but wonder how Lena was feeling about the whole ordeal – she knew Lena would’ve preferred a private ceremony, but it seemed a bit redundant with the fact that they were trying to be as over the top as possible. Lena had willingly agreed to it though, when it had been suggested, if only so the whole world could see the lengths they had gone to to showcase their love. Still, it was unnerving to know that every moment was being documented and criticized, for the whole world to see, yet Kara didn’t care at all. All she could think about was how she was about to marry the love of her life - against all odds, and despite everything - and with each step closer, Kara felt her happiness grow, until she was on the verge of tears by the time she reached the altar, handing her bouquet off to Alex, who was looking a little emotional.

 

            As she took her place beside Lena, they both turned towards each other, and she saw an identical tearful smile on Lena’s face, even though she’d sternly made Kara promise that neither of them would cry. They couldn’t help it though, and Kara slowly reached out to lift the veil covering Lena’s face, before Lena did the same for her, her fingers tracing the side of her face as she drew her hands back. Then she held her hand out, waiting for Lena to place her own in it, as they gazed at each other. Kara couldn’t say what Lena’s dress looked like, or where the cameras were, or even hear what was being said – she couldn’t focus on anything except Lena’s face, and how beautiful she looked, and she had to blink back tears as she gave her a helpless smile. “You look so beautiful,” Kara quietly choked out, unsure whether she was allowed to talk during this part of the ceremony, but unable to stop herself.

 

            “So do you,” Lena murmured, giving Kara’s hand a quick squeeze as she smiled widely, blinking back some tears of her own.

 

            Realising that the Minister was starting a call to worship, she bit back the urge to say anything else, or duck her head and steal a quick kiss, and turned her eyes forward. Holding tightly onto Lena’s hand, she snuck glances at her, smiling when she caught Lena doing the same, and they both ducked their heads and closed their eyes, behaving themselves in front of the crowd of cameras and the congregation. As soon as the prayer was finished, the Minister asked the congregation to be seated, and Kara was aware of Alex standing to her left, while the room was filled with the quiet sounds of people sitting down. Typically, their father’s would’ve given them away at that point, but as both of them were avoiding that, they went straight to the rings. Kara pressed her lips together to suppress a laugh as she watched Ruby untie the wedding rings from the bow tied around Aoife’s neck, as the very large Irish Wolfhound patiently sat beside her, tongue lolling as she happily wagged her tail. Lena had insisted that she be the ring bearer, if only to do something completely disapproving to almost everyone present, yet not entirely too outlandish to be seen as too unconventional. Kara had thought it would be cute, and was glad that having her dog run the rings down the aisle was as rebellious as Lena got these days – she silently prayed that there were no unsuspecting surprises – and had been all too willing to agree. Handing a ring to Alex and Sam, Ruby walked over to the empty chair at the front, whispering for Aoife to sit beside her, having finished her own part in the ceremony.

 

            The charge was quick, with the Minister briefly covering the duties and roles that both women would undertake in their marriage, before making Kara and Lena both declare to the guests and witnesses that they were there of their own free will. By the slight smirk on Lena’s lips as she peeked at Kara, they were both thinking about what they would’ve said here if their circumstances had been different, but much to their luck, they _were_ there of their own free will. Upon finishing their declarations, both girls turned to face each other, and they both joined their other hands, unable to keep the smiles off their faces as they stared at each other, with Kara just a few inches taller. Then came the vows, which were traditional and completely unchanged, except to remove the line about obeying each other – Kara was a queen, and it wasn’t like Lena would listen to her anyway, so it made the line redundant – and they both repeated them after the Minister, choking slightly on their words as their eyes burned with tears. As Kara finished off her own vows, she gave Lena a wide smile, her blue eyes crinkling at the corners as she rubbed soothing circles into the back of Lena’s hands.

 

            “The rings,” the Minister said, gesturing to Alex and Sam, who placed the rings they held into each bride’s hand. Kara smiled down at the small silver band nestled in the middle of her palm, before she looked up at Lena, taking her left hand in her own and slowly sliding the ring onto her wedding finger, until it found its home above the engagement ring already there. A tear slid down Lena’s cheek as she watched Kara put the ring on her finger, and Kara let out a quiet, tearful laugh as she quickly reached out to wipe it away, before letting Lena take her left hand in her own, gently cradling it, before slipping a ring onto Kara’s finger. She laughed then too, wiping away one of Kara’s stray tears with an _almost_ smug smile on her face that was so _typically_ Lena that it made Kara want to roll her eyes.

 

            A quick communion service followed the exchanging of their rings, as their first official act as a married couple, and as Kara crossed her chest, watching Lena mimic the accent off to her right, she couldn’t help but smile. Any second now, the Minister was going to pronounce them wed, and her heart was already pounding at the thought of it – at the thought of her kissing Lena in front of everyone gathered. Out of all of their public kisses, this one meant the most, and was more intimate than anything else, yet Kara couldn’t wait. Sneaking another peek at Lena out of the corner of her eyes, Kara smiled, listening to the Minister’s last words ring out loud and clear for everyone to hear.

 

            “I pronounce them to be wife and wife, in the name of the Father and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.” Kara could almost feel Lena resisting the urge to roll her eyes at all the religious stuff, and she knew that they both would’ve opted to skip it if they’d had the chance, but they couldn’t deviate too much from doing what was proper, and it didn’t matter now anyway. They’d just been declared married, and neither of them cared which religion they’d just bound themselves to each other under, because they were _married_. “You may now kiss your bride.”

 

            They came together in unison, hands cupping cheeks and lips urgently seeking each other’s, and if it wasn’t for the crowd of guests watching, the kiss would’ve been a lot more inappropriate for the setting. Still, the feeling of Lena’s warm lips softly pressed against her own was enough to make Kara melt where she stood, and she smiled at the feeling of Lena smiling into the kiss as well. They pulled back to the sound of applause, and they both laughed as Kara ducked down to quickly steal another kiss.

 

            Unable to stop smiling, they turned around, hand in hand, taking in the sight of their close friends and family crying, and other important people and acquaintances, who also seemed to be overcome with emotions, and they both took their bouquets back of their respective maids of honour, before they walked down the aisle. If it wasn’t for the fact that they had a straight clear path to the doors, they probably would’ve bumped into someone or tripped, because they couldn’t take their eyes off each other. The only thing that was enough to break them out of their enraptured staring was the sound of the crowd outside, which couldn’t even be swallowed by the sound of the bells, which had been tolling at the top of the cathedral since the moment they’d kissed. A different carriage was waiting for them this time – one with a soft-top roof, which was folded down, and decorated with flowers and ribbon – and they were both helped into it, taking their seats side by side and leaning into each other as they laughed. Aoife had obediently padded along behind them, and jumped up into the carriage too, happily sitting on the floor as she looked around at the people packed into the courtyard outside the cathedral.

 

            “I love you,” Kara said, her lips brushing Lena’s ear as she made herself heard over the loud cheers.

 

            Lena drew back slightly, her eyes shining with happiness as the white horses were whipped into motion, “I love you too.”

 

            They both fell into laughter again, smiling brightly and waving to the gathered crowds, while they held their bouquets in their laps and had their other hands entwined. It was a slightly slower chariot ride back to the palace, but they were both elated and somewhat smug as they each paraded their new wife before the world, their matching rings shining on their ring fingers. They were giddy with excitement as they made it back through the palace gates, and up the front steps, taking a few moments to pose on the top of the red carpet before the doors, sneaking in a quick kiss for the public, before they were whisked away inside.

 

            Next came Lena’s coronation, and they were led straight to the throne room, being saluted by guards as they passed by, cameras following close behind. Upon arrival at the throne room, Kara was seated on the small throne waiting for her at the top of the steps, while Lena hovered to her right, both of them gazing at each other while they waited for their distinguished guests to arrive. “So, you’re my wife now,” Kara conversationally said, trying unsuccessfully to bite back a smile, “and here I thought you said you’d _never_ marry me.”

 

            Lena shrugged slightly, bending down a little, “you said the same thing, if you remember correctly. Also, I’ve been known to be wrong upon occasion. Only on occasion though – don’t get used to it.”

 

            “I, for one, am glad that you’re wrong … upon occasion,” Kara said, wrinkling her nose as she smiled up at Lena. “Quick, kiss me, before we have to behave ourselves.”

 

            Laughing, Lena ducked her head, her fingers warm as she tilted Kara’s head up, placing a quick kiss on her lips. “Behave? Well that sounds utterly _boring.”_

 

            “Welcome to marriage,” Kara laughed, stealing another kiss.

 

            “Now _that_ sounds like it’s going to be _very_ exciting,” Lena smirked, suggestively arching an eyebrow at Kara, “any trouble you’d like to get into first?”

 

            “You’ve given me enough trouble for a lifetime,” Kara sighed, kissing the back of Lena’s hand, “and I can’t wait for enough for an eternity. Just try not to do anything scandalous within the next five minutes, or the next state event I’ll be going to will be your funeral.”

 

            Holding a hand to her heart with a look of mock offence on her face, Lena gasped, “you’re going to widow yourself after less than an hour of marriage? Am I _that_ insufferable?”

 

            “Definitely,” Kara murmured, “it’s one of the things I love about you.”

 

            With a heavy sigh, Lena reached out to brush a stray piece of hair out of Kara’s face, “maybe now that we’re married, you’ll finally tell me about all of these things you love about me. I’m terribly vain, so please don’t wait too long.”

 

            “Darling,” Kara sighed, “I couldn’t even _begin_ to tell you about them all. There’s way too many, and it would make your head too big for your crown, which would be sad, because it looks like we’re about to start your coronation.”

 

            Upon the last few people invited to this part of the ceremony squeezing into the room, Kara climbed to her feet, and Lena followed along beside her, until she stood before Kara, with a small smile on her face. Camera flashes from various points in the room alerted them to the presence of photographers and reporters, and Kara had to stop herself from laughing when she saw the nervous look on Lena’s face – she’d told her she didn’t _have_ to go through with a coronation to be a princess again, knowing how much Lena hated monarchies, but she’d scoffed at Kara’s words, and insisted that she have the same title that she’d held since birth. She was a princess through and through.

 

            A few members of Kara’s cabinet came forward, dressed in their official cloaks, with one of them carrying a red cloak trimmed in white spotted fur, careful not to let it drag on the floor, while another came forward with a gaudy crown, encrusted with jewels. Others held ceremonial swords upright, while others held pillows with more official objects, and Kara couldn’t help but think back to her own coronation. If she was being honest, this one was a thousand times better. A week ago, Lena had renounced her claim to the throne in Thorul, along with her title, with Kara bestowing upon her a duchy for the land and titles that her own parents had laid claim to, and would’ve been Kara’s, if not for the change in circumstances, making Lena the Duchess of Kandor, and soon to be princess of a different country. Lena slowly sank to one knee on a small plush stool placed before Kara, and a blue sash, identical to the one Kara was wearing, was brought forward and draped around her, already bearing an assortment of medals. Next a man brought forth a ring held on a velvet pillow, and Kara slipped it onto the ring finger of Lena’s right hand, a mirror to the ones on her left, and they both smiled as she did so. Then came a sword, slung across her shoulder to waist, forming an x with the sash, before Kara handed her a golden scepter. as the cloak was draped around her shoulders, she tilted her head up, smiling up at Kara as she carefully did the ribbon up to secure it in place.

 

            “As Her Royal Majesty, Queen Kara, I am pleased to give and to grant unto her Royal Highness, the Duchess of Kandor, the style and titular dignity of a princess of Krypton. The Duchess of Kandor shall henceforth be known as Her Royal Highness, the Princess Lena, Duchess of Kandor,” Kara proclaimed to the hall, her voice loud and clear as she spoke for all of the titled and important guests gathered to hear. She’d started speaking as she picked up the crown, and as she finished, she gently set it down upon Lena’s dark hair, a smile on her lips as a pair of green eyes met her own.

 

            Standing, Lena took Kara’s outstretched hand, and together they ascended the few steps leading up to two small thrones, wrought in red velvet and gold, with their initials embossed in the back of them, and sat in their own respectively. Turning to look at Lena, she met her eyes, and gave her hand a squeeze as she smiled lovingly at her. They didn’t have to say anything – their love for each other was all there in their eyes, so clear for everyone to see. As people politely applauded and the cameras flashed, they only had eyes for each other. Lena’s lips quirked up into an almost mocking smile as she stared back at Kara, one eyebrow sarcastically cocked, “Your Majesty.”

 

            Suppressing an exasperated sigh, Kara shook her head slightly, a small smile playing on her lips, “Your Highness.”


End file.
